But I could not hear from Dan.

My letters miscarried or were not answered.
One day I did not feel vigorous and remained away from the office.

The next day I went down toward noon as usual, and found a note on my desk which had been there twenty-four hours.

It was signed "Marshall"-- the Virginia reporter--and contained a request that I should call at the hotel and see him and a friend or two that night, as they would sail for the east in the morning.

A postscript added that their errand was a big mining speculation! I was hardly ever so sick in my life.