"Of course," said the butler, who a second later belied his assumption of knowledge by muttering, "Flower Ball, eh! Gracious, I wonder what won't Mrs. Wellington be up to next!"
"I don't think I like Prince Koltsoff," said Miss Hatch.
"Well," agreed the superintendent, "he's a Russian."
"Oh, I don't care about that," replied the young woman. "He is going to marry Miss Wellington—and he 's not the man for her. He 's not the man for any girl as nice as Anne Wellington. Think of it. Ugh!"
"So!" interjected the tutor, Dumois, who had turned many a dollar supplying the newspapers with information, for which they had been willing to pay liberally. "International alliance! How interesting. The latest, eh?"
"No, it's not the latest," replied the secretary. "If it were, I should have said nothing. It's only a baseless fear; but a potent one."
"Oh," Dumois turned ruefully to his plate.
"He attracts her," resumed the secretary.
"That is to be seen plainly—and she attracts him. That is as far as it has gone."
"That is quite far," observed the tutor, glancing up hopefully.