"Really," I said without emotion. "He doesn't seem very fit to live,
anyhow."

"As to that, it may be said of a good many."

"Don't exaggerate like this!" I protested, laughing irritably. "But I
wonder what this part of the world would do if you were to leave off
looking after it, Captain Giles? Here you have got me a command and
saved the Steward's life in one afternoon. Though why you should have
taken all that interest in either of us is more than I can understand."

Captain Giles remained silent for a minute. Then gravely:

"He's not a bad steward really. He can find a good cook, at any rate.
And, what's more, he can keep him when found. I remember the cooks we
had here before his time! . . ."

I must have made a movement of impatience, because he interrupted
himself with an apology for keeping me yarning there, while no doubt I
needed all my time to get ready.

What I really needed was to be alone for a bit. I seized this opening
hastily. My bedroom was a quiet refuge in an apparently uninhabited wing
of the building. Having absolutely nothing to do (for I had not unpacked
my things), I sat down on the bed and abandoned myself to the influences
of the hour. To the unexpected influences. . . .

And first I wondered at my state of mind. Why was I not more surprised?
Why? Here I was, invested with a command in the twinkling of an eye, not