“Oh, papa dear, I dare not meet him. They would quarrel, and what shall I do? We must escape—”
“But are you staying in this hotel?”
“Yes, papa dear.”
“That’s—that’s doosed awkward, my pet, for I shouldn’t like there to be a row.”
“No, no, pa dear. Don’t say a word to Tom, or there will be a horrible scene.”
“But, my pet, we’ve come on purpose to find you, and now you’re going away.”
“Only for a time, dear,” cried Maude, embracing the old man frantically. “Don’t, don’t tell Tom.”
“But I feel as if I must, my darling. Tom is so angry, and we’ve spent such a lot of money trying to find you. It would have paid for no end of good dinners at the club.”
“Yes, yes, but we will escape directly, and Tom will never know.”
“But what’s the good of my finding you, my darling, if you are going to bolt again directly?”