Lars Larssen nodded non-committally, and ordered the young fellow to get a trunk telephone call through to Sir Francis Letchmere at Monte Carlo. Dean had already found out that he was staying at the Hotel des Hespérides.
But when the telephone connexion had been made, it was Olive who answered from the other end of the wire:—
"This is Mrs Matheson. Who is speaking?"
"Mr Larssen. I want Sir Francis Letchmere."
"He's out just now. Shall I take your message?"
"Have you heard yet from your husband?"
"No. Why?"
"He's off to Canada. I thought he would have wired you."
"That's just like Clifford!" There was an angry sharpness in the voice over the wire.
"I reckon he was in too much of a hurry. It's in connexion with the Hudson Bay scheme—you know about that?"