"He's very 'cute, but he's
made a mistake at last."
"Do come to the point, colonel. What's it all about?"
"Would you be surprised to hear," said the colonel, adopting a famous
mode of speech, "that the interest on the debt would not be paid on
the 31st?"
"No, I shouldn't," said I resignedly.
"Would you be surprised to hear that no more interest would ever be
paid?"
"The devil!" I cried, leaping up. "What do you mean, man?"
"The President," said he calmly, "will, on the 31st instant,
_repudiate the national debt_!"
I had nothing left to say. I fell back in my chair and gazed at the
colonel, who was now employed in lighting a cigarette. At the same
moment a sound of rapid wheels struck on my ears. Then I heard the
sweet, clear voice I knew so well saying:
"I'll just disturb him for a moment, Mr. Jones. I want him to tear
himself from work for a day, and come for a ride."
She opened my door, and came swiftly in. On seeing the colonel she
took in the position, and said to that gentleman:
"Have you told him?"
"I have just done so, signorina," he replied.
I had not energy enough to greet her; so she also sat down uninvited,
and took off her gloves--not lazily, like the colonel, but with an air
as though she would, if a man, take off her coat, to meet the crisis
more energetically.
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