"You play too much chess, young lady, and far too daring a game. I may give him your word?"
"Oh, yes. I have done all I wished here and am ready to go."
"You'll make no effort to escape?" he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. "You are to be a prisoner, you know."
I nodded and laughed, and a few minutes later he handed me into his carriage to drive back to the city.
He was more disposed to think than to talk during the drive, and several times I caught a furtive smile flitting over his face and drawing down the corners of his mouth.
"I'm afraid I have a dangerous prisoner. You have already given me one awkward corner to turn this morning; and I see others ahead."
"I never knew what diplomacy meant until this morning," I replied; "and the cleverness of it quite fascinated me."
"Diplomacy often consists in helping a friend to do what he doesn't wish to do," he said sententiously.
"I suppose, by the way, I am only a prisoner on parole?"
"If you take my advice you will not stir out of my house until we have had the meeting to-morrow."