Still he urged his deliverer not to leave him till he had left the land; and after much entreaty she consented to ride with the King to the vessel, and thence to be driven to her home. It was half an hour later when she descended to her parlor, and found Mr. Bugbee impatiently awaiting her, as she had expected. With lightning words she explained the situation, and bade Bugbee order his private carriage.
"But this false alarm will be known to-morrow," cried Bugbee, wrung with wrath and perplexity. "He will learn that it is all a lie, and then—"
"There is no false alarm, man!" hissed the Beauty in the banker's ear. "It is all true—every word!"
"How did you learn it? Who is your informant?"
"President Bagshaw. Is that sufficient?"
The old banker gazed on Mrs. Carey with a dazed look, which gradually faded into one of intelligent admiration.
"I begin to understand," he said, slowly. "But why not have told me?"
"Because I wanted to save the King this time," answered Mrs. Carey. "You don't object, do you? I assure you it does not interfere with any plan of yours."
Mr. Bugbee could not see that it did, nor, even if it did, could he see how he could help it now. He had not gauged this woman rightly. She had outwitted him, and he saw it.
"You will order the carriage at once, won't you?" said Mrs. Carey, taking up her cloak.