“Excuse me.”  Anthony saw Runnels searching the room with anxiety.  He hurried toward him and inquired, breathlessly: 

“Have you got him?”

“Sure, I showed him your room.”

“Did you lock him in?”

“Certainly not.”

“He’ll get away.”

“Oh no, he’ll be on the job.  Has she come?”

Kirk shook his head.  “Gee!  I’m nervous.”  He wiped his brow with a shaking hand.

“Don’t weaken,” Runnels encouraged.  “I’m beginning to believe you’ll pull it off.  I told my wife all about it—­thought we might need her—­and she’s perfectly crazy.  I never saw her so excited.  Let me know as soon as you can which dance it will be.  This suspense—­Gad!  There they are now!  Go to it, old man.”

Into the lobby came a mixed group, in which were Andres Garavel, his daughter, Ramon Alfarez, and the Cortlandts.  Kirk’s face was white as he went boldly to meet them, but he did his best to smile unconcernedly.  He shook hands with Edith and her husband, bowed to Gertrudis, then turned to meet her father’s stare.

“May I have a word with you, sir?”

Garavel inclined his head silently.  As the others moved on he said:  “This is hardly a suitable time or place, Mr. Anthony.”

“Oh, I’m not going to kick up a fuss.  I didn’t answer your note, because there was nothing to say.  You still wish me to cease my attentions?”

“I do!  It is her wish and mine.”

“Then I shall do so, of course.  If Miss Garavel is dancing to-night I would like your permission to place my name on her programme.”

“No!” exclaimed the banker.

“Purely to avoid comment.  Every one knows I have been calling upon her, and that report of our engagement got about considerably; it would set people talking if she snubbed me.  That is the only reason I came to this dance.  Believe me, I’d rather have stayed away.”

“Perhaps you are right.  Let us have no unpleasantness and no gossip about the affair, by all means.  I consent, then.”  Garavel’s voice altered and he said, with more of his natural geniality, “I am very glad you take the matter so sensibly, Mr. Anthony; it was, after all, but a dream of youth.”

“And permit me to offer my congratulations upon the honor your country is about to bestow upon you.”  Conversing in a friendly manner, they followed the rest of the party.

As the banker appeared upon the threshold of the ballroom a murmur ran through the crowd; faces were turned in his direction, whispers were exchanged, showing that already the news had travelled.  Conscious of this notice and its reason, Garavel drew himself up; he walked with the tread of an emperor.

Kirk ignored Ramon’s scowl as he requested the pleasure of seeing Chiquita’s programme; then pretended not to notice her start of surprise.  After a frightened look at her father, she timidly extended the card to him, and he wrote his name upon it.