ing girl in this
exceedingly satisfactory world.

By this time I know that your eyes are wide open. I can picture you
stretched in your _chaise longue_ at Davos in the sunshine reading this
and whistling softly to yourself. I have no time to write more to-night;
the rest must wait.

Your very sincere and excited friend,
Jack Winston.

Hotel de Londres, Amboise,
_December 3_.

My dear Montie,

The plot thickens. She is _Superb_. But things are happening which I
didn't foresee, and which I don't like. I have to suppress a Worm, and
suppressed he shall be. I am writing this letter to you in my bedroom.
It is three in the morning, and a lovely night--more like spring than
winter. Through my wide-open window the only sound that comes in is the
lapping of the lazy Loire against the piers of the great stone bridge. I
have not been to bed; I shall not go to bed, for I have something to do
when dawn begins. Though I have worked hard to-day, I am not tired; I am
too excited for fatigue. But I must give you a sketch of what has
happened during the last few days. It is a comfort and a pleasure to me
to be able to unburden myself to your sympathetic heart. You will read
what I write with patience, I know, and with interest, I hope. That you
will often smile, I am sure.

I sent you a line from Orleans, telling you that I had got myself
engaged as _chauffeur_ to Miss Molly Randolph at Suresnes. Well, the
_garage_ man and I managed to fit the new crank into my lovely
employer's abominable car, and about three or four in the afternoon we
were ready to take the road. As I tucked the rug round the ladies Miss
Randolph threw me an appealing look. "My aunt," she said, "declares that
it is quite useless to go on, as she is sure we shall never get
anywhere. But it _is_ a good car, isn't it, Brown, and we _shall_ get to
Tours, shan't we?" "It's a _great_ car, miss," I said quite truthfully
and very heartily. "With this car I'd guarantee to take you comfortably
all round Europe." Heaven knows that this boast was the child of hope
rather than experience; but it would have been too maddening to have the
whole thing knocked on the head at the beginning by the fears of a
timorous elderly lady. "You hear, Aunt Mary, what Brown says," said the
girl, with the ai