Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad
My spirits and health are A No. 1
and it is my intention to return to you as soon as you have
executed a little commission for me, which I want you to do
exactly as I hereby instruct you. In other words, if you
don't execute the commission you will probably execute me.
"I have decided to purchase a valuable antique ring from my
host, at a price of fifty thousand dollars, which trifling
sum I must have at once to complete the transaction, for
until full payment is made I cannot rejoin you. Therefore
you must hasten to raise the dough. Here's the programme, my
dear girls: One of you must go by first train to Messina and
cable Isham, Marvin & Co. to deposit with the New York
correspondents of the Banca Commerciale Italiana fifty
thousand dollars, and have instructions cabled to the
Messina branch of that bank to pay the sum to the written
order of John Merrick. This should all be accomplished
within twenty-four hours. Present the enclosed order,
together with my letter of credit and passport, which will
identify my signature, and draw the money in cash. Return
with it to Taormina and give it secretly to the boy Tato,
who will bring it to me. I will rejoin you within three
hours after I have paid for the ring.
"This may seem a strange proceeding to you, my dears, but
you must not hesitate to accomplish it--if you love me.
Should my old friend Silas Watson be now with you, as I
expect him to be, he will assist you to do my bidding, for
he will be able to realize, better than I can now explain,
how important it is to me.
"Also I beg you to do a like service for Count Ferralti, who
is entrusting his personal commission, to Louise. He also
must conclude an important purchase before he can return to
Taormina.
"More than this I am not permitted to say in this letter.
Confide in no stranger, or official of any sort, and act as
secretly and quietly as possible.
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There was once an honest journeyman tailor, by name Labakan, who learned his trade with an excellent master in Alexandria. It could not be said that Labakan was unhandy with the needle; on the contrary, he could make excellent work: moreover, one would have done him injustice to have called him lazy. Nevertheless, his companions knew not what to make of him, for he would often sew for hours together so rapidly that the needle would glow in his hand, and the thread smoke, and that none could equal him.
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