To this she replied it was quite natural you should not
desire changes, and that everything should go on as before."
"Walkirk," I exclaimed, "you are a trump!" In my exuberant satisfaction
I would have clapped him on the back; but it would not do to be so
familiar with an under-study, and besides I did not wish him to
understand the extent of my delight at the result of his mission. That
sort of thing I liked to keep to myself.
XVIII.
AN ILLEGIBLE WORD.
Every morning there seemed to be some reason or other why I should
anticipate with an animated interest the coming of my secretary, and on
the morning after what I might call her "strike" the animation of said
interest was very apparent to me, but I hope not to any one else. Over
and over I said to myself that I must not let my nun see that I was
greatly pleased with Walkirk's intervention. It would be wise to take
the result as a matter of course.
As the clock struck nine, she and Sister Sarah entered the anteroom, and
the latter advanced to the grating and looked into my study, peering
from side to side. I did not like this sister's face; she looked as if
she had grown unpleasantly plump on watered milk.
"Is it necessary," she asked, "that you should smoke tobacco during your
working hours?"
"I never do it," I replied indignantly,--"never!"
"Several times," she said, "I have thought I perceived the smell of
tobacco smoke in this sister's garments.
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