I tried vainly to induce her to wait a little.

We had no electric telegraphs at our disposal, and we were reduced to guessing at events.

But there was certainly a strong probability that Fritz might have left London immediately on the receipt of Mr.Engelman's letter, announcing that his father was dangerously ill.

In this case, my letter, despatched by the next mail to relieve his anxiety, would be left unopened in London; and Fritz might be expected to arrive (if he traveled without stopping) in the course of the next day or two.

I put this reasonable view of the matter to Minna, and received a thoroughly irrational and womanly reply.
"I don't care, David; I shall write to him, for all that." "Why ?" "Because I like writing to him.
"What! whether he receives your letter or not ?" "Whether he receives it or not," she answered saucily, "I shall have the pleasure of writing to him--that is all I want." She covered four pages of note-paper, and insisted on posting them herself.
The next morning Mr.Keller was able, with my help and Mr.Engelman's, to get downstairs to the sitting-room.