Leslie ignored the question, but instead she said:
"Mrs. Wilkinson wishes to speak with you, Mr. Flomerfelt. You will find her upstairs, in her boudoir."
Flomerfelt bowed.
"I'll go up with you at once," he told her; but Leslie shook her head.
"No, you'd better go alone. I know about the wires. I came down expressly to tell father about them."
Flomerfelt reddened with annoyance, nevertheless he started to leave the room.
"I say," called out Wilkinson after him, "tell those Pinkertons to drive Ilingsworth away down-town—take him to any place he wants to go, set him loose. If he runs away, you understand, it will be all the better for us. And if he doesn't, it will be all the worse for him."
"I'll take care of it, Mr. Wilkinson," said Flomerfelt, adopting the prefix that he used in the presence of a third party. "The plan is yours; the details belong to me."
With considerable trepidation Leslie approached her father.