"What do you mean?"
"Beat it," I said in homely slang.
A gleam of light, of mischief appeared in her tortured face. "But how?—where? Will you go with me?" she cried breathlessly. "What will I do about the women here? What explanation shall I make?"
"One thing at a time!" I protested. "Make no explanation. You are your own mistress. If you like you can leave Alfred a note saying you have changed your mind. As to the women——"
"I can trust Marie."
"Very well. Send Mrs. Bleecker out on an errand. No trouble to invent an errand at this juncture. You can be gone when she returns."
"Will you come with me?"
I shook my head. "Matters are rapidly approaching a crisis," I said. "I must stay on the job."
"But where will I go?"
"That's up to you. I can only offer a suggestion——"