“Capital!” exclaimed Ratcliff. “Josy can remain where she is in the family. Josy will not have to abdicate. There’ll be no unpleasant row between the two women. The whole thing can be harmoniously managed.”
“Why not, Carberry? And let me say ’ would be folly to seize this girl rudely, wounding her pride and rousing her resentment. The true way is to decoy her gently till you get her into your possession, and then secure her by such means as I can suggest.”
“Hang me, but you’re right again, Josy! I had thought of carrying her off this very day.”
“Yes, I supposed so.”
“Supposed so? Where in the name of all the devils did you get your information? For there’s but one person beside myself who knows anything about it.”
“And that’s Mr. Tremaine!”
“So it is, by Jove! How did you know it?”
“I put this and that together, and drew an inference. You mean to place her again, for the present, at Mrs. Gentry’s.”
“True! That was my plan. But I hadn’t mentioned it to a soul.”
“What of that? Where one loves, one has such insight! But is there any one at Mrs. Gentry’s on whom you can rely to keep watch of the girl?”