'Well, I won't, if you don't want me to.'
There was silence for a few moments, during which the young woman seemed
to be adding commas and full-stops to the MS. on her knee. Wentworth
cleared his throat two or three times, but his lips were so dry that he
could hardly speak. At last he said:
'Miss Brewster, how can I induce you not to send that from Queenstown to
your paper?'
The young woman looked up at him with a pleasant bright smile.
'Induce me? Why, you couldn't do it--it couldn't be done. This will be
one of the greatest triumphs I have ever achieved. Think of Rivers
failing in it, and me accomplishing it!'
'Yes; I have thought of that,' replied the young man despondently. 'Now,
perhaps you don't know that the full report was mailed from Ottawa to our
house in London, and the moment we get to Queenstown I will telegraph my
partners to put the report in the hands of the directors?'
'Oh, I know all about that,' replied Miss Brewster; 'Rivers told me. He
read the letter that was enclosed with the documents he took from your
friend. Now, have you made any calculations about this voyage?'
'Calculations? I don't know what you mean.'
'Well, I mean just this: We shall probably reach Queenstown on Saturday
afternoon. This report, making allowance for the difference in the time,
will appear in the _Argus_ on Sunday morning. Your telegram will reach
your house or your firm on Saturday night, when nothing can be done with
it.
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