The Green Mummy - Page 143/191

After a time she went to her desk and took out a bundle of bills and

some other letters, also an account book and a bank book. Over these she

pored for quite an hour. The clock struck nine before she looked up from

this unpleasant task, and she found her financial position anything but

satisfactory. With a weary sigh she rose and stared at herself in the

mirror over the fireplace, frowning as she did so.

"Unless I can marry the Professor at once, I don't know what will happen

to me," she mused gloomily. "I have managed very well so far, but things

are coming to a crisis. These devils," she alluded to her creditors,

"will not keep off much longer, and then the crash will come. I shall

have to leave Gartley as poor as when I came, and there will be nothing

left but the old nightmare life of despair and horror. I am getting

older every day, and this is my last chance of getting married. I must

force the Professor to have a speedy marriage. I must! I must!" and

she began to pace the tiny room in a frenzy of terror and well-founded

alarm.

As she was trying to calm herself and succeeding very badly, Jane

entered the room with a card. It proved to be that of Sir Frank Random.

"It is rather a late hour for a visit," said Mrs. Jasher to the servant.

"However, I feel so bored, that perhaps he will cheer me up. Ask him to

come in."

When Jane left, she stood still for a moment or so, trying to think why

the young man had called at so untoward an hour. But when his footsteps

were heard approaching the door, she swept the books and the bills and

the letters into the desk and locked it quickly. When Random appeared at

the door, she was just leaving the desk to greet him, and no one would

have taken the smiling, plump, well-preserved woman for the creature who

lately had looked so haggard and careworn.

"I am glad to see you, Sir Frank," said Mrs. Jasher, nodding in a

familiar manner. "Sit down in this very comfortable chair, and Jane

shall bring you some coffee and kummel."

"No, thank you," said Random in his usual stiff way, but very politely.

"I have just left the mess, where I had a good dinner."

Mrs. Jasher nodded, and sank again on the couch, which was opposite the

chair which she had selected for her visitor.

"I see you are in mess kit," she said gayly; "quite a glorified creature

to appear in my poor little parlor. Why are you not with Donna Inez? I

have heard all about your engagement from Lucy. She was here to-day with

Senorita De Gayangos."