Clare Gets a Shock

Jake was his first visitor next morning and Dick asked for a cigarette.

"I'm well enough to do what I like again," he said. "I expect you came
here now and then."

"I did, but they would only let me see you once. I suppose you know you
were very ill?"

"Yes; I feel like that. But I dare say you saw Kenwardine. It looks as if
this is his house."

"It is. We brought you here because it's near the street where you got
stabbed."

Dick said nothing for a minute, and then asked: "What's Kenwardine doing
in Santa Brigida?"

"It's hard to say. Like other foreigners in the town, he's probably here
for what he can get; looking for concessions or a trading monopoly of
some kind."

"Ah!" said Dick. "I'm not sure. But do you like him?"

"Yes. He strikes me as a bit of an adventurer, but so are the rest of
them, and he's none the worse for that. Trying to get ahead of dago
politicians is a risky job."

"Is he running this place as a gambling house?"

"No," said Jake warmly; "that's much too strong. There is some card play
evenings, and I've lost a few dollars myself, but the stakes are moderate
and anything he makes on the bank wouldn't be worth while. He enjoys a
game, that's all. So do other people; we're not all like you."

"Did you see Miss Kenwardine when you came for a game?"

"I did, but I want to point out that I came to see you. She walked
through the patio, where we generally sat, and spoke to us pleasantly,
but seldom stopped more than a minute. A matter of politeness, I imagine,
and no doubt she'd sooner have stayed away."