"Met her professionally, perhaps," suggested Rushford. "Well, what of it?"
"Eef I offend heem, he gifes her my attress!" continued Pelletan, hoarsely, and his forehead glistened again at the thought. "He t'reatened as much when he arrife here unt I tol' him t'e house wass full."
"Hm!" commented Rushford. "I see. All right; I'll stand by you. I dare say I can stomach Tellier for a day or two."
Pelletan breathed a deep sigh of relief.
"Tat iss kind," he stammered; "I—I—"
"There, there," and the American waved him to silence. "And you needn't charge yourself with his keep. But I hope you haven't any more skeletons in the closet, my friend."
"Skeletons, monsieur?"
"Such as Madame Pelletan."
"Oh," said the Frenchman, naively, "Madame Pelletan iss quite t'e opposite off a skeleton, monsieur!"
* * * * *