"And when can I go up in a balloon?" asked Bob. He waited for no answer, but told it to Williams, suggesting that the war correspondent might pay for it by a story with blood and torture in it, please. And all of a sudden it was noticed that the hostess had slipped out of the room.
"Where—where is Penelope?" asked trembling Titania. "Mrs. Cadwallader, where is Lady Penelope?"
Bob ran her to earth in her bedroom, and after many appeals he was let in.
"Oh, dear, oh, dear," said Penelope. "Bob, let me take hold of you. Do I tremble?"
"Rather," said Bob. "I'll bet you couldn't drink a glass of wine without spilling it. What's wrong? Buck up. Ain't you comin' in to tell 'em? I've broken it a bit for you."
Pen screamed.
"You wretched boy, what have you done?"
"Bless you, nothing to speak of," said Bob. "I only said you would make 'em sit up presently. They think I know something, and want to bribe me. I say, Pen, if you say nothing for a few days, I believe old Gordon will make me a director. Can you? I want to make money and restore the family property. I say, do."
But Pen paid no attention to him. She groaned instead.
"Where's the pain?" asked Bob, anxiously. "Shall I get you some brandy?"