"An open carriage, by all means, aunt."
"That would have its inconvenience in case of showers," said Lynde; "when April takes her departure from the Alps, she is said to leave all her capriciousness behind her. I suggest a partially closed vehicle; you will find a covering comfortable in either rain or shine."
"Mr. Lynde thinks of everything," remarked Mrs. Denham. "He should not allow himself to be dictated to by unforeseeing woman."
"In strict confidence, Mrs. Denham, I will confess that I have arbitrarily taken this business in hand. For nearly a week, now, I have had my eye on a vehicle that must have been built expressly for us; it is driven by a tall, distinguished person, frosty of mustache and affable of manner—evidently a French marquis in disguise."
"What an adroit fellow Ned is!" Flemming said to himself. "I wonder that with all his cleverness he could have got such a foolish notion into his head about this girl."
"We must have the French marquis at any cost," said Miss Denham.
"The truth is," remarked Lynde, "I have secured him."
"We are to start at eight, Ruth."
"Which means breakfast at seven. Is Mr. Lynde equal to a feat like that, aunt?"
"As I intend to have watchers and sit up all night," said Lynde, "I think I can promise to be on hand."