"How is this?" he began; "did you know Fred had changed his plans?"
She shook her head. "He didn't take me into his confidence."
"Well, what did he say for himself?"
"About changing his mind? Nothing."
"He didn't? that's pretty cool! What does he mean by running us off up here on a wild-goose chase?"
"How should I know, when he didn't tell me?"
"Well, I'll just go and find out," Burton declared, with growing displeasure.
But his wife detained him. "Sit down and think about it for a few minutes, first," she said, coolly. "You are angry now, and you mustn't forget that he's with Miss Vennor."
"By Jove! that is the very thing I'm not forgetting. I believe you were more than half-right in your guess, yesterday; but we mustn't let them make fools of themselves—anyway, not while we are responsible."
"I don't quite savez the responsibility," retorted the little lady, flippantly. "But what do you imagine?"