“Very well, father,” the girl meekly assented. Her blue eyes twinkled as she spoke. Something about the envoy’s manner caused her to believe that she could guess his destination.
A few minutes after he had gone a young man visited the embassy. He wore the uniform of a lieutenant of the United States navy. He wore also an exceedingly perturbed expression. From the card which the servant brought, Virginia learned that the visitor’s name was Ridder, and that he was attached to the battleship Kearsarge. The servant announced that the young man desired an audience with the United States minister, but the girl, hoping that his business might have something to do with the Camera Chap, ordered that he be shown into the library.
“My father is not in just now,” she announced. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“I’m afraid, not,” Lieutenant Ridder replied. “I have come to see your father about a friend of mine who was arrested last night.”
“Mr. Hawley?”
“Yes; do you know if anything is being done for him? I am anxious to know whether my telegram has already brought results.”
“Your telegram?” Virginia exclaimed with eager curiosity.
“Last night when a mob of chocolate soldiers marched into the hotel and arrested my friend,” the naval officer explained, “I sent a dispatch to the managing editor of the New York Sentinel, notifying him of what had happened. I figured that he might have a pull with Washington.”
“What a clever idea!” exclaimed Virginia, looking at him admiringly. “That scheme never even entered my mind. Did you get a reply?”
“Yes; he assured me that he will do everything in his power to stir up Washington. I was in hopes that he might have succeeded in getting the state department to send word to Minister Throgmorton to demand Hawley’s release.”