Canadian fiction -- 20th century; Detective and mystery stories
"Señorita Amèlie say: 'Francisco, I 'ope I didn't upset your plans by
sending you that telegram. Maybe you will think I am foolish, but I
cannot stand it another hour!' Señor Francisco say: 'For God's sake,
what's the matter? You'll have to be quick, my dear, I only got five
minutes.' She say: 'It's Bianca. I cannot stand that woman!'
"Señor Francisco is moch surprise'. He say: 'What's the matter with
Bianca?' The Señorita say: 'I don' like her. Neither does mamma. Why
do we have to put up with her? In Managuay she wouldn't think of
coming to our house, but here she lives with us. She is like a spy.
She watch everything I do. She will not let me be alone for a minute!'
Here the Señorita change her voice. She say: 'Why, Francisco, there's
a spot of grease on your coat! You can't go away like that! Let Nina
rub it out.' He say: 'I can't wait now.' She say: 'It won't take a
minute.'
"Well, I hear her comin' to the door, and I ran down the hall a little
way. She open the door, she see me, but she call as if I long way off:
'Nina! Quick!' I run to her. She say: 'Rub out this spot! Be quick!
Two minutes! Señor Francisco has a train!' She look at me hard. I
understand.
"I run to the kitchen. I find the little black book in his pocket. I
change it with the one in my dress. I rub a little cleaner on the coat
to make it smell. I take the coat back. I hold it while Señor
Francisco slip his arms through. I see him give his breast a little
pat to see if the book is there. He is sayin' to the Señorita: 'My
dear Amèlie, I've got to catch the six o'clock train. I can't make any
change now. But I'll be back day after to-morrow. We'll see then.'
"So he goes. I give the little black book to my mistress. She is like
crazy for joy. She give me her amethyst pin for my own. Before she
can read the book, Señorita Bianca knock at the door. She hide it.
Well, I go to dress the Señora for dinner. I am with her when the door
bell ring. I go to the door. It is that bell-boy, Frank.
"He say he got to see Señorita Amèlie quick. He got an important
message for her. I know that Señorita Bianca is with her, so I say:
'Tell it to me.' He say: (Nina's unconscious imitation of Frank was
comical to see) 'Nix, girlie, this is for her own private ear.' So I
go back to my mistress's room, but the spy-woman is still there.
That's what I call her. I hate her! I try to make Señorita Amèlie
look at me, but she will not. Señorita Bianca say: 'Who was that at
the door, Nina?' She don't miss nothing. I say: 'Just the boy with
the evening paper.' She say: 'You needn't wait, Nina. I'm going to
help Amèlie dress. I'm talking to her.'
"Well, I don' know what to do then. I wait around. Señorita Bianca
tell me to go again. But still I wait. At last Señorita Amèlie look
at me. She see by my face that somesing's the matter. Then I go out.
In a minute she come. I tell her go to the door quick. There is a boy
waiting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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