"Mexico!" he exclaimed, and, looking at her with the gleam of the lawyer who has entrapped his witness, he raised his voice to a shout, "MEXICO!"
Sheila, who had feared that the contents might reveal the story of the mine, comprehended rapidly that she might yet extricate herself.
"Mexico?" she cried with well acted incredulity, and seizing the telegram she read it. "But—but I don't understand! Why Mexico?"
"You do it well," he said scornfully. "So Fargus has gone to Mexico. Why?"
"My dear fellow," she said, sitting down and studying the telegram, "I am as astonished as you."
"Sheila, you're lying to me."
"You tell me that a dozen times a day," she said with a shrug. "It gets tiresome. Still, I would like to know why he is in Mexico and what he means by beginning his journey. Does he mean his return or what?"
Deceived by her air of candid bewilderment Bofinger tried a new method.
"Sheila," he said, looking at her earnestly, "I believe you. But, my dear girl, if you are deceiving me, you are running big risks. Fargus is too clever for you alone. You need me, whether you find it out now or later."