Before I was dressed I had another visitor. This time it was Cathcart
who, with considerable diffidence and all the shamefaced embarrassment
of an Englishman when doing a kindly action in which he may be taken as
intruding, offered me his services. I tried to set him at ease by the
heartiness of my thanks. Upon which he expanded enough to say:
"From something Adams let drop--in all confidence believe me--I gather
you are or may be in trouble about some friend. If this should be, and
from my heart I trust it may not, I hope you will bear in mind that I
am a friend, and unattached. I am pretty well alone in the world so far
as family is concerned, and there is no one to interfere with me. Indeed
there are some who would be happy, for testamentary reasons, to attend
my funeral. I hope you will remember this, old chap, if there is any fun
going." Then he went away, easy of carriage and debonair as usual. It
was in such wise that this gallant gentleman made me a proffer of his
life. It moved me more than I can tell.
I went down to Cruden by the next train, and arranged with the
postmaster to send on to me at once by messenger or wire any telegram
that might come directed as I had told Adams.
Towards dusk a letter was brought to me. It was in Marjory's hand, and
on my asking at once how it had come, I was told that it was brought by
a mounted man who on handing it in had said "no answer" and had ridden
away.
With hope and joy and misgiving mingled I opened it. All these feelings
were justified by the few words it contained:
"Meet me to-morrow at eleven at Pircappies."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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