"I would. Matthews will go across the street and tell him to come."
"For Heaven's sake, Max, what are you going to do?"
"Isabelle, you and Miss Watts go somewhere else and wait," Wally urged, as his wife gave the butler instructions.
"You'll do no such thing. You've done your part, now you leave the rest of it to us," ordered her mother.
"It is my hand he is asking for; those are my letters, and this is my affair. I shall stay right here and see it through," Isabelle asserted with firm determination.
Max saw that, except by force, there was no way to eject her, and it was too late for that, as Matthews was approaching with the Frenchman.
The hero entered with a ceremonious bow. He was good-looking in a dare-devil way, with a somewhat dissipated face. His eyes went from one to another until they came to Isabelle.
"_Ah! mon adoree, c'est toi!_" he cried, and before any one could stop him, he seized her hands and covered them with kisses.
"None of that!" shouted Wally, jerking Isabelle away.
Max took command. She spoke, curtly, in French.
"Monsieur Petard, we have read your letters to our daughter, and heard her story of her correspondence with you. She is, as you see, a mere child. I appeal to you as a soldier and a gentleman, to return her letters to us, and to close this painful incident."
"I ask you one question. Do you love me?"
"Why, no," she said, simply, "I told you I didn't."
"I did not believe. Your friend, the Mademoiselle Pollock, she say you are infatuate wiz me; she send ze picture; she tell me you are crazy about me."
"Agnes Pollock? Why, the dirty little liar!" cried Isabelle.
"My daughter is a schoolgirl, she knows nothing about love. Will you or will you not, give us those letters?"
"I have come all ze way to zese countree, because of ze lettaires of your schoolgirl!"
"Now, we're getting to the point," she said. "How much do you want for those letters?"
"Ver' good. I say five sousand dollaires."
"I have already an offaire of five sousand dollaires."
"Ze editor of what you call _Chit-Chat_."
"I would not say zat. I geef you a chance Madame, to regain ze indiscretions of ze schoolgirl daughter. But five sousand dollaires is five sousand dollaires."
"Our lawyer will call on you at ten in the morning at this hotel, with our offer. Good morning."