The fuss made
over him pleased him, of course; for, after all, he was quite human and
quite young, and there was great exhilaration in being the bearer of
good news. He would not promise any definite amount to the holders of
the "Little Devil." There would be some money, but that was all he could
say. He did not yet know how much. To Nina's delight, he actually got
Carpazzi to accept the position of Tiggs, who had to return to America.
The plant, once started, no longer needed both engineers. And Carpazzi's
tumble-down castle not far from Vencata, enabled him to go without hurt
to his European ideas of dignity to "look after his own property."
In spite of her explanations, John was very much worried about Nina. She
certainly was not herself. Several times he caught a half-appealing look
in her eyes, as though she had something weighing on her mind. Yet she
gave him no chance to ask her confidence. Finally he had the good luck
to be left with her for a few moments alone, but there was a lack of
frankness in her face that he had never seen there before, and she had
an apprehensive, frightened manner that alarmed him.
The question he was almost ready to put, in spite of his resolution,
remained unasked, and he said instead: "Look here, Nina, I don't think
you are well! You're awfully jumpy.
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