“It seems to me you are about to afford the Russian Government an excellent opportunity of spiriting you off to Siberia, and nobody would be the wiser.”

Drummond indulged in the free-hearted laugh of a youth to whom life is still rather a good joke.

“I shouldn’t mind studying the Siberian system from the inside if they allowed me to return before my leave was up.  I believe that sort of thing has been exaggerated by sensational writers.  The Russian Government would not countenance anything of the kind, and if the minor officials tried to play tricks, there’s always my cousin in the background, and it would be hard luck if I couldn’t get a line to him.  Oh, there’s no danger in my project!”

Suddenly the girl came to a standstill, and gave expression to a little cry of dismay.

“What’s wrong?” asked the Lieutenant.

“Why, we’ve walked clear out into the country!”

“Oh, is that all?  I hadn’t noticed.”

“And there are people waiting for me.  I must run.”

“Nonsense, let them wait.”

“I should have been back long since.”

They had turned, and she was hurrying.

“Think of your new fortune, Miss Amhurst, safely lodged in our friend Morton’s bank, and don’t hurry for any one.”

“I didn’t say it was a fortune:  there’s only ten thousand dollars there.”

“That sounds formidable, but unless the people who are waiting for you muster more than ten thousand apiece, I don’t think you should make haste on their account.”

“It’s the other way about, Mr. Drummond.  Individually they are poorer than I, therefore I should have returned long ago.  Now, I fear, they will be in a temper.”

“Well, if anybody left me two thousand pounds, I’d take an afternoon off to celebrate.  Here we are in the suburbs again.  Won’t you change your mind and your direction; let us get back into the country, sit down on the hillside, look at the Bay, and gloat over your wealth?”

Dorothy Amhurst shook her head and held out her hand.

“I must bid you good-by here, Lieutenant Drummond.  This is my shortest way home.”

“May I not accompany you just a little farther?”

“Please, no, I wish to go the rest of the way alone.”

He held her hand, which she tried to withdraw, and spoke with animation.

“There’s so much I wanted to say, but perhaps the most important is this:  I shall see you the night of the 14th, at the ball we are giving on the ’Consternation’?”

“It is very likely,” laughed the girl, “unless you overlook me in the throng.  There will be a great mob.  I hear you have issued many invitations.”

“We hope all our friends will come.  It’s going to be a great function.  Your Secretary of the Navy has promised to look in on us, and our Ambassador from Washington will be there.  I assure you we are doing our best, with festooned electric lights, hanging draperies, and all that, for we want to make the occasion at least remotely worthy of the hospitality we have received.  Of course you have your card, but I wish you hadn’t, so that I might have the privilege of sending you one or more invitations.”