"There's a great deal of sense in that," said Coxon.
"Well, Mr. Coxon," laughed Alicia, "you should have thought of it when you were in England."
Eleanor's eyes had dropped again to Tomes, and Mr. Coxon answered, in a tone not calculated to disturb the reader,
"I hope it's not altogether too late."
"The choice is so small out here, isn't it? Now, according to Tomes, Mr. Medland ought to marry a duchess—well, a dowager-duchess—but there isn't one."
"I should hardly have thought the Premier quite the man for a duchess," said Coxon, rather superciliously.
"Well, I like him much better than most dukes I've seen. Why do you shake your head?"
"I've the greatest respect for Mr. Medland as my leader, but—come, Miss Derosne, he's hardly—now is he?"
"I like him very much indeed," declared Alicia. "I think he's the most interesting man I've ever met."