A Bicycle of Cathay - Page 23/112

For an hour or more I sat sipping my wine, puffing smoke into rings,

and allowing my mind to dwell pleasingly upon the situation, the most

prominent feature of which seemed to me to be a young lady with bright

eyes and white teeth, and dressed in a perfectly-fitting gown.

When at last I thought I ought to go to bed, I stood and gazed at my

little valise. I had left it on the porch and had totally forgotten

it, but here it was upon a table, where it had been placed, no doubt,

by the thoughtful Brownster. I opened it and took out the box of

capsules. I did not feel that I had taken cold in the night air; this

was not a time to protect myself against morning mists; but still I

thought it would be well for me to swallow a capsule, and I did so.