Page 1 (1/2)
San Francisco, 18 May,
At last! And only four days later than anticipated e left theto travel on the river from Sacramento, ould have arrived on the date anticipated… My native earth should be in one of the warehouses, waiting for ot down to less than a single chest of it
My escorts brought -house on Sacraone on theene Mullinton, a very respectablefrole woiven me a suite of three rooms at the top of the house, her best, and for it I ah price for such acco in San Francisco is expensive The suite will do until I can arrange to rent a house for three or four months…
Tomorroill have to pay off my escorts, which will require a trip to the bank to establishmy acquaintance with the city Doubtless the excellent Mrs Mullinton can direct me to Lucas and Turner; the documents from their Saint Louis offices should be sufficient bona fides to satisfy theo was one of thecity; located near the shore of the bay and thewharves that bristled far out into the water, the bank ell situated to sense the thriving financial pulse of San Francisco
Madelaine, wearing the one goodtravels, stepped out of the hackney cab andcrowds on the wooden sidewalk to the bank itself As she stepped inside, she felt both relief and regret at once again being back in the world of co her valise fires and instead approached the nearest of the desks, saying, "Pardon h to direct me to the senior orncer of the bank"
The man at the desk looked up sharply "Have you an appoint her French accent with faint disapproval, and showing a lack of interest that Made-laine disliked, though she concealed it well enough He was hardlyarments
"No, I am just arrived in San Francisco," she said, and opened her valise, taking out a sheaf of documents, her manner deter as this fellow "I am Madelaine de Montalia As you can see from this--" she offered him one of the folded sheets of paper "--I have a considerable sum on deposit with your Saint Louis bank and I require the attention of your senior officer at his earliest convenience"
The secretary took the letter and read it, his ent to iures; he frowned as he read through them a second ti the letter with care, he rose and belatedly gave Madelaine a show of respect he had lacked earlier "Good gracious, Madame de Montalia It is an unexpected pleasure to welcome you to Lucas and Turner"
"Thank you," said Madelaine with a fine aristocratic nod she had perfected in her childhood "Now, if you will please show me to the senior officer? You may use those documents to introduce me, if that is necessary"
"Of course, of course," he said, so e to box his ears for such obsequiousness He opened the little gate that separated the desks from the rest of the floor, and stood aside for her as she went through, her head up, the deep-g-een taffeta of heras she esture indicating a shed "Is that necessary?"
He ri woain he gestured to express his concern
"No doubt," she said, and halted in front of a large door of polished oak While the secretary rapped, Madelaine exa she would be fortunate to be out of the bank much before noon
"Come in," came the crisp order froht bow to Madelaine, then stepped into the office, discreetly closing the door behind hie a few minutes later, all smiles and half bows, to open the door wide for her in order to usher her into the oak-paneled office of the senior officer of the bank
The man who rose behind the orderly desk surprised Madelaine a little; he was younger than she expected--no more than his ht-red hair and steel-colored eyes, and a pinched look about his mouth as if he were in constant discoreeted her with fastidious correctness "William T Sherman, senior officer of Lucas and Taylor in San Francisco, at your service, Madame de Mon-talia"
She took his hand at once "A pleasure, Mr Sher his decisiveto help e, but a glint appeared in his eyes "Certainly" He signaled to the secretary "Jenkins, leave us to it And don’t close the door"