"You seem to have done a good day’s work," was Miss Kendrick’s comment on my brief account of the commercial struggle, "and you’ll make a business man yet if you keep on. I wish you could tell uncle about it, but he’s still unconscious." And her lip trembled at the sudden remembrance of Wharton Kendrick’s peril, until I thought for the moment that she was going to burst into tears. But she commanded herself, and continued in steady voice: "And now that you’ve done so well, I’ll give one of those reward-of-merit cards you used to get in school. It came this afternoon, and I’m dying to know what’s in it." And she brought out a letter addressed in fine Spencerian copperplate script to "Mr. Hampden, the Lawyer of Mr. Kendrick’s House on Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco."
I read the address with some wonder, and Laura Kendrick continued:
"Moon Ying says that funny little sign up in the corner is Big Sam’s seal; but he surely never wrote that remarkable address. I suppose it is by one of his clerks."
At this, I hastily opened the envelope, and found within a formal note:
Kwan Sam Suey requests the pleasure of Mr. Hampden’s company, at his office in Waverly Place, this evening, at as early an hour as convenient.
"It looks as though there was going to be a party," she said, "or a supper at the very least. I hope you won’t overeat--or worse."
"Big Sam has never suggested such an idea as eating or drinking, though I don’t put it beyond him. But he surely hasn’t picked out this season of alarms to give a reception. So if you’ll excuse me, I’ll run down to his place. It may be something important."
"Of course you must go--and you must come back, too. I’m sure I can’t sleep till I know what it’s about. I shall be up most of the night, and so will Mercy; so you needn’t have qualms about ringing the bell, even if you are later than late. There will be somebody to let you in."
"As I’d rather be here than anywhere else, I shan’t miss the chance to come back," I said boldly.
She ignored my words, and evaded my devouring glances, and with a sage nod suggested that the sooner I was on my way, the sooner I should have a chance to come back.
As I went down the steps I was stricken with a jealous pang to see Mr. Baldwin coming up with the air of a conquering army. He gave me a cool "Good evening," and then asked, in his most superior manner, if I were on my way to stir my friends to further exertions.
