“I—I am coming, dear—coming,” he answered hastily, in broken English.
“Then I will wait for you.”
“Excuse me, madame,” I said; “the business I am just concluding with your husband is of an official and strictly private nature.”
“Oh, of course in that case I will leave you alone,” she said, with a slight, graceful bow, and, urging the Governor to hasten, she swept out, closing the door after her.
“Well?” he asked when she had gone. “What do you mean by these strange threats? I do not know you, and I’ve nothing whatever to fear from you.”
“As time is of importance to both of us, I may as well speak plainly at once, m’sieur,” I said, folding my arms resolutely. “I require Zoraida’s release before the dawn.”
“Impossible!”
I paused. The moment had arrived when I deemed it expedient to spring the mine upon him.
“Then you will no longer be Governor-General of this colony!” I exclaimed.
“Your words are absolute nonsense. Diable! You English are always more or less insane!”