This country is interesting if you don't know it,
and fascinating if you do. My place is rather nice, and I should
like you to see it. Still better, I should like to see you. Do come
if you can, and come soon. I should enjoy showing you my garden at
its best. It's one of the things I care for most, but there are
other things. Do let me introduce you to them all. You can be as
quiet as you wish, if you wish. I'm a quiet sort myself, as you may
remember, and North Africa suits me better than London or Paris. I
haven't changed for the worse I hope, and I'm sure you haven't, in
any way.
"You can hardly realize how much pleasure it will give me if you'll
say 'yes' to my proposal.
"Yours as ever
"NEVILL CAIRD, alias 'Wings,'"
Not a word of "the case," though, of course, he must know all about
it--even in Algiers. Stephen's gratitude went out to his old friend,
and his heart felt warmer because of the letter and the invitation. Many
people, even with the best intentions, would have contrived to say the
wrong thing in these awkward circumstances. There would have been some
veiled allusion to the engagement; either silly, well-meant
congratulations and good wishes, or else a stupid hint of advice to get
out of a bad business while there was time. But Caird wrote as he might
have written if there had been no case, and no entanglement; and acting
on his first impulse, Stephen telegraphed an acceptance, saying that he
would start for Algiers in two or three days.
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