"I certainly caught a glimpse of her," he admitted.
"But she's not here now."
The Secretary made a careful inspection, from his point of vantage on the hearthstone, of every cobweb and corner of the great apartment, and in the end found himself forced to agree with the Marchioness' statement.
"Where has she gone, then?" was her next question.
"Really," he replied, "it is not your daughter's custom to keep me posted as to her movements."
"But you've eyes, haven't you?" she retorted, testily. "At least you know how she left this hall."
The Secretary sighed as he saw the end of his little manœuvre.
"She went out at the front door," he said.
"Why couldn't you have told me that to begin with?"
"You didn't ask me."