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His countenance was quite inscrutable calm as a summer day which might mean much or nothing, for he had an immense pride in keeping it always so. Vernon took him in with a quick glance. "I recognise the type," he said. "Can't we go on, Miss Rushford? Collins might form a rear guard.
"It is one of the traditions of our family that at least a month must be spent at Ostend." "What a shame that the tradition should be broken!" "On the contrary, I bless the circumstance that shattered it. Do you know, Miss Rushford, I have never before realised what a tremendously lucky fellow I am? I must pour a libation to the god of chance!"
I'll have to look over my bill." He went on to the desk and demanded his letters of the boy in resplendent uniform who presided there. "There are none, monsieur," answered that individual, blandly. "What!" cried Rushford, his smile vanished in an instant. "Are you sure?" The boy answered with a shrug and a significant gesture toward the letter-rack on the wall. It was visibly, incontestably empty.
Rushford turned away in disgust. "Those fellows at the office are assuming altogether too much responsibility," he muttered savagely, as he wandered on into the smoking-room. "I told them I didn't want to be bothered with little things, but I certainly expected to hear from them once in a while. If I don't look out, they'll reduce me to the status of a rubber stamp!
"Yes, monsieur, Mees Rushford," and Pelletan stepped to one side, disclosing Sue. The Dowager's Bombshell She came no farther than the threshold and looked only at her father, though her eyes were shining with the consciousness of some one else's presence in the room some one whom she had not in the least expected to find there. "Come, dad," she said. "Don't waste your time here.
"No matter," broke in Rushford. "All European inn-keepers have it, and it has never been known to result fatally, so don't worry. But why did you think I'd take hold of this thing?" "I haf heard so much," explained Pelletan, "of t'e enterprise of t'e Americans, t'at I t'ought perhaps you might " "Win back Zeit-Zeit? Not on your life! If he comes, I go! But I tell you what I'll do, Pelletan.
Such a glance, no doubt, Columbus caught from his lieutenants at the cry of "Land Ho!" Rushford, leaning over the desk, watching the confusion with an amusement which had banished every trace of ennui, felt his arm touched. He turned and recognised the be-gilt messenger of the day before. "A second telegram for monsieur," said that functionary, with an amiable grin, and produced the message.
"Now it's you who are blarneying, dad!" cried Susie, but she dimpled with pleasure nevertheless, and so did Nell. "No I'm not," retorted Rushford; "and I dare say there are plenty of other men, even in this Dutch limbo, who have an eye for beauty; let them break their hearts, if they have any, but keep your own hearts whole, my dears."
"Is Zeit-Zeit the little purblind, monkey-faced fellow who is wheeled around in a big red chair every day?" "T'e fery same, monsieur a great Highness." Rushford made a grimace of disgust. "What's the matter with him?" he asked. "Does he only need a bath, or is it more than skin deep?" "Eet iss an hereditary trait, monsieur." "Hereditary taint, you mean!
It wass, perhaps, for t'at reason t'at Paris so won my heart." "If I were as fond of the place as all that," observed Rushford, laughing, "I'd have stayed there." "It proke my heart to leafe," murmured Pelletan. "T'at is why I lofe all t'is," and he motioned to the walls, and kissed his hand to a voluptuous siren with red hair. "T'at is Ernes tine.
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