Mr. Tolliver, appreciating the utter futility of argument, bowed and departed.
“Verily, life grows sweeter with each passing day,” Webster murmured whimsically. “Rick, old man, I think you had better escort the Consul to the front door. Your presence is _nux vomica_ to me also. See that you back me up and dispose of that fellow Tolliver, or you can't come to our wedding--can he, sweetheart?”
When Ricardo had taken his departure, laughing, John Stuart Webster looked up quite seriously at his wife-to-be. “Can you explain to me, Dolores,” he asked, “how it happened that your relatives and your father's old friends here in Sobrante, whom you met shortly after your arrival, never informed you that Ricardo was living?”
“They didn't know any more about him than I did, and he left here as a mere boy. He was scarcely acquainted with his relatives, all of whom bowed quite submissively to the Sarros yoke. Indeed, my father's half-brother, Antonio Ruey, actually accepted a portfolio under the Sarros régime and held it up to his death. Ricardo has a wholesome contempt for his relatives, and as for his father's old friends, none of them knew anything about his plans. Apparently his identity was known only to the Sarros intelligence bureau, and it did not permit the information to leak out.”
“Funny mix-up,” he commented. “And by the way, where did you get all the inside dope about Neddy Jerome?”
She laughed and related to him the details of Neddy's perfidy.
“And you actually agreed to deliver me, hog-tied and helpless to that old schemer, Dolores?”
“Why not, dear. I loved you; I always meant to marry you, if you'd let me; and ten thousand dollars would have lasted me for pin money a long time.”
“Well, you and Neddy have both lost out. Better send the old pelican a cable and wake him out of his day-dream.”
“I've just received an answer. Neddy has spent nearly fifty dollars telling me by cable what a fine man you are and how thankful I ought to be to the good Lord for permitting you to marry me.”
“Dolores, you are perfectly amazing. I only proposed to you a minute ago.”
“I know you did, slow-poke, but that is not your fault. You would have proposed to me yesterday, only I thought best not to disturb you until you were a little stronger. This evening, however, I made up my mind to settle the matter, and so I----”