es a youth to look sharp; also, to take that
card up to Major Roper. As the boy goes upstairs with it two steps at
a time Sally follows the old gentleman into a great saloon with standing
desks to read skewered journals on and is talking to him on the
hearthrug. She thinks she knows who he is.

"I came to stop Major Roper coming round to see _our_ Major--Colonel
Lund, I mean. It isn't fit for him to come out in the fog."

"Of course, it isn't. And Lund mustn't come out at his age. Why, he's
older than I am.... What? Very ill with bronchitis? I heard he'd been
ailing, but they said he was all right again. Are you his Rosey?"

"No, no; mamma's that! She's more the age, you know. I'm only twenty."

"Ah dear! how one forgets! Of course, but he's bad, I'm afraid."

"He's very bad. Oh, General Pellew--because I know it's you--his cough
is so dreadful, and there's no air for him because of this nasty fog!
Poor mamma's there, and the nurse. I ought to hurry back; but he wanted
to prevent Major Roper coming round and getting worse himself; so we
agreed for me to come. I'll just give my message and get back."

"Your mamma was Mrs. Graythorpe. I remember her at Umballa years ago.
I know; she changed her name to Nightingale. She is now Mrs...?" Sally
supplied her mother's married name. "And you," continued Lord Pellew,
"were Baby Graythorpe on the boat."

"Of course. You came home with Colonel Lund; he's told me about that.
Wasn't I a handful?" Sally is keenly interested.

"A small handful. You see, you made an impression. I knew you before,
though. You had bitten me at Umballa."

"He's told me about that, too. Isn't that Major Roper coming now?" If
it is not, it must be some one exactly like him, who stops to swear at
somebody or something at every landing. He comes down by instalments.
Till the end of the last one, conversation may continue. Sally wants
to know more about her _trajet_ from India--to take the testimony of
an eyewitness. "Mamma says always I was in a great rage because they
wouldn't let me go overboard and swim."

"I couldn't speak to that point. It seems likely, though. I always want
to jump overboard now, but reason restrains me. You were not reasonable
at that date."

"It _is_ funny, though, that I have got so fond of swimming since. I'm
quite a good swimmer."

Major Roper is by this time manifest volcanically at the bottom of the
staircase, but before he comes in Lord Pellew has time to say so is