Part 2 (1/2)
”'We disclaim the act, and apologize.'
”Now, it would be much more to the purpose if she said genially:
”'We have in our employment an impetuous young fool with a thirst for information. He wished to learn how a new piece of ordnance would act, so fired it off with no more intention of striking Russia than of hitting the moon. He knows much more about dancing than about foreign affairs. We've given him a month's leave, and he will slip across privately to St. Petersburg to apologize and explain. The moment you see him you will recognize he is no menace to the peace of nations.
Meanwhile, if you can inculcate in him some cold, calm common-sense before he returns, we'll be ever so much obliged.'”
”So you are determined to do what you think the government should have done.”
”Oh, quite. There will be nothing frigidly official about my unauthorized mission. I have a cousin in the emba.s.sy at St. Petersburg, but I shan't go near him; neither shall I go to an hotel, but will get quiet rooms somewhere that I may not run the risk of meeting any chance acquaintances.”
”It seems to me you are about to afford the Russian Government an excellent opportunity of spiriting you off to Siberia, and n.o.body would be the wiser.”
Drummond indulged in the free-hearted laugh of a youth to whom life is still rather a good joke.
”I shouldn't mind studying the Siberian system from the inside if they allowed me to return before my leave was up. I believe that sort of thing has been exaggerated by sensational writers. The Russian Government would not countenance anything of the kind, and if the minor officials tried to play tricks, there's always my cousin in the background, and it would be hard luck if I couldn't get a line to him.
Oh, there's no danger in my project!”
Suddenly the girl came to a standstill, and gave expression to a little cry of dismay.
”What's wrong?” asked the Lieutenant.
”Why, we've walked clear out into the country!”
”Oh, is that all? I hadn't noticed.”
”And there are people waiting for me. I must run.”
”Nonsense, let them wait.”
”I should have been back long since.”
They had turned, and she was hurrying.
”Think of your new fortune, Miss Amhurst, safely lodged in our friend Morton's bank, and don't hurry for any one.”
”I didn't say it was a fortune: there's only ten thousand dollars there.”
”That sounds formidable, but unless the people who are waiting for you muster more than ten thousand apiece, I don't think you should make haste on their account.”
”It's the other way about, Mr. Drummond. Individually they are poorer than I, therefore I should have returned long ago. Now, I fear, they will be in a temper.”
”Well, if anybody left me two thousand pounds, I'd take an afternoon off to celebrate. Here we are in the suburbs again. Won't you change your mind and your direction; let us get back into the country, sit down on the hillside, look at the Bay, and gloat over your wealth?”
Dorothy Amhurst shook her head and held out her hand.
”I must bid you good-by here, Lieutenant Drummond. This is my shortest way home.”
”May I not accompany you just a little farther?”