Wild Country

According to Ted, I am absurdly wealthy! Must get used to saying "rich," as the rich do. Ironic that so much money could accrue from something that was, insofar as I can see, a toy for the amusement of grown children. It makes sense, I suppose, in terms of the information it contains. Dear God, now I could live in the city without ever turning a lick of work as long as I lived!

Ted laughed uproariously when I told him of ' 'The Case of the Scarlet Pennant," gasping out that I must keep it in memory of Don Quixote?! Well, either he will explain that, or I will tickle him mercilessly in every secret place.

I suggested that he help me decide what to do about all this new wealth, as yet unreal to me. He tells me he will come in a few days, after one last piece of business in Faro. Nothing to worry about, says he. And when he says that, I always know he is risking his stupid neck. All those riches will leave me destitute if anything happens to that man.