He discovered that they were both talking at once--furiously--and, not without surprise, that he had a great deal more enlightenment to impart to Drummond than he had foreseen.
"You've got an economical streak in you when it comes to correspondence," Drummond commented, offering Whitaker a sheet of paper he had just taken from a tin document-box. "That's Exhibit A."
"'DEAR D., I'm not feeling well, so off for a vacation. Burke has just been in and paid $1500 in settlement of our claim. I'm enclosing herewith my check for your share. Yours, H. M. W.'"
"Far be it from me to cast up," said Drummond; "but I'd like to know why the deuce you couldn't let a fellow know how ill you were."
Whitaker frowned over his dereliction. "Don't remember," he confessed. "I was hardly right, you know--and I presume I must have counted on Greyerson telling."
"Merely a rumour ran round. Some one--I forget who--told me that you and Stark had gone sailing in Stark's boat--to cruise in the West Indies, according to my informant. And somebody else mentioned that he'd heard you were seriously ill. More than that nothing--until we heard that the _Adventuress_ had been lost, half a year later."
"I'm sorry," said Whitaker contritely. "It was thoughtless...."
"But that isn't all," Drummond objected, flourishing another paper. "See here--Exhibit B--came in a day or so later."
"Yes." Whitaker recognized the document. "I remember insisting on writing to you before we turned in that night."
He ran through the following communication:
"DEAR DRUMMOND: I married here, to-night, Mary Ladislas. Please look out for her while I'm away. Make her an allowance out of my money--five hundred a month ought to be enough. I shall die intestate, and she'll get everything then, of course. She has your address and will communicate with you as soon as she gets settled down in Town.
"If it hadn't been so much in character," commented Drummond, "I'd've thought the thing a forgery--or a poor joke. Knowing you as well as I did, however ... I just sat back to wait for word from Mrs. Whitaker."
"And you never heard, except that once!" said Whitaker thoughtfully.
"Here's the sole and only evidence I ever got to prove that you had told the truth."