“Well, at any rate, we must find him,” said Mansfield. “If we go down to Beyrout to-night, we can catch the steamer to-morrow morning, Usk.”
“No, no,” said Usk, recovering himself. “You must stay here. We can’t leave the girls alone. Besides, there’s your work.”
“Hang the work!” cried Mansfield. “The girls will look after one another.”
“No,” said Helene, very quietly, but with white determination, “I am going with Usk.”
“Nonsense, Lenchen! I can’t take you. You’ll stay with Phil and the baby.”
“I am going with you,” repeated Helene. “Or if you refuse to let me come with you, I shall follow you by the next steamer, and Phil will help me, because she knows I am right in going.”
“She is, indeed, Usk,” said Philippa. “With you to take care of her, what reason is there why she shouldn’t go?”
“Why, dozens! It’s simply preposterous. I shall be rushing about into all sorts of places, where I couldn’t take a lady. You don’t know how rough things are in Illyria.”
“I can live upon black bread and goats’ milk,” said Helene calmly, “and you couldn’t.”
“But I can’t trail about a whole procession of servants. Everything may depend upon following up a clue quickly.”