"It's yours. There has been some
miserable mistake. These deck stewards are always messing things up.
Still, it is rather a mystery about the letter. I assure you I saw
no--"
"No doubt the steward who changed the cards had sufficient
intelligence to remove all incriminating evidence," said she coolly.
"We shall find it among the lost, strayed and stolen articles, no
doubt. Pray retain the chair, Mr.--" She peered at the name-card--
"Mr. Schmidt."
Her cool insolence succeeded in nettling a nature that was usually
most gentle. He spoke with characteristic directness.
"Thank you, I shall do so. We thereby manage to strike a fair
average. I seize your deck chair, you seize my table. We are quits."
She smiled faintly. "R. Schmidt did not sound young and gentle, but
old and hateful. That is why I seized the table. I expected to find
R. Schmidt a fat, old German with very bad manners. Instead, you are
neither fat, old, nor disagreeable. You took it very nicely, Mr.
Schmidt, and I am undone. Won't you permit me to restore your table
to you?"
The elderly lady was tapping the deck with a most impatient foot.
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