At last I said, with conviction:
"He's a wonderful man! How did you find it out, colonel?"
"Had Johnny Carr to dine and made him drunk," said that worthy.
"You don't mean he trusted Johnny?"
"Odd, isn't it?" said the colonel. "With his experience, too. He might
have known Johnny was an ass. I suppose there was no one else."
"He knew," said the signorina, "anyone else in the place would betray
him; he knew Johnny wouldn't if he could help it. He underrated your
powers, colonel."
"Well," said I, "I can't help it, can I? My directors will lose. The
bondholders will lose. But how does it hurt me?"
The colonel and the signorina both smiled gently.
"You do it very well, Martin," said the former, "but it will save time
if I state that both Signorina Nugent and myself are possessed of
the details regarding the--" (The colonel paused, and stroked his
mustache.)
"The second loan," said the signorina.
I was less surprised at this, recollecting certain conversations.
"Ah! and how did you find that out?" I asked.
"She told me," said the colonel, indicating his fair neighbor.
"And may I ask how you found it out, signorina?"
"The President told me," said that lady.
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