“Always, of course, not counting de army of his most graceworthy majesty de Emperor William,” said Von Baumser, with his mouth full of toast.  “Here is de girl mit a letter.  Let us hope dat it is my Frankfort money.”

“Two to one it’s for me.”

“Ah, he must not bet!” cried Von Baumser, with upraised finger.  “You have right, though.  It is for you, and from de proper quarter too, I think.”

It was the letter which we have already quoted.  The major broke the seal and read it over very carefully, after which he read it again.  Von Baumser, watching him across the table, saw a very anxious and troubled look upon his ruddy face.

“I hope dere is nothing wrong mit my good vriend, Madame Scully?” he remarked at last.

“No, nothing wrong with her.  There is with some one else, though;” and with that he read to his companion all that part of his letter which referred to Miss Harston.

“Dat is no joke at all,” the German remarked; and the two sat for some little time lost in thought, the major with the letter still lying open upon his knee.

“What d’ye think of it?” he asked at last.

“I think dat it is a more bad thing than the good madame seems to think.  I think dat if Miss Harston says dat Herr Girdlestone intends to kill her, it is very likely dat he has dat intention”

“Ged, he’s not a man to stick at troifles,” the major said, rubbing his chin reflectively.  “Here’s a nice kettle of fish!  What the deuce could cause him to do such a thing?”

“Money, of course.  I have told you, my good vriend, dat since a year de firm has been in a very bad way indeed.  It is not generally known, but I know it, and so do others.  Dis girl, I have heard, has money which would come to de old man in case of her death.  It is as plain as de vingers on my hand.”

“Be George, the thing looks very ugly!” said the major, pacing up and down the room.  “I believe that fellow and his beauty of a son are game for anything.  Lavinia takes the mather too lightly.  Fancy any one being such a scounthrel as to lay a hand on that dear girl, though.  Ged, Baumser, it makes ivery drop of blood in me body tingle in me veins!”

“My dear vriend,” Von Baumser answered, “it is very good of your blood for to tingle, but I do not see how dat will help the mees.  Let us be practical, and make up our brains what we should do.”

“I must find young Dimsdale at once.  He has a right to know.”

“Yes, I should find him.  Dere is no doubt that you and he should at once start off for dis place.  I know dat young man.  Dere vill be no holding him at all when he has heard of it.  You must go too, to prevent him from doing dummheiten, and also because good Madame Scully has said so in her letter.”

“Certainly.  We shall go down togither.  One of us will manage to see the young lady and find out if she requoires assistance.  Bedad, if she does, she shall have it, guardian or no guardian.  If we don’t whip her out in a brace of shakes me name’s not Clutterbuck.”