Page:An African Millionaire.djvu/108

Rh 'Who do you think I saw riding in the Park?' she inquired. 'Why, the Count of Lebenstein.'

'No!' Charles exclaimed, incredulous.

'Yes,' Amelia answered.

'Must be mistaken,' Charles cried.

But Amelia stuck to it. More than that, she sent out emissaries to inquire diligently from the London lawyers, whose name had been mentioned to us by the ancestral firm in Unter den Lauben as their English agents, as to the whereabouts of our friend; and her emissaries learned in effect that the Count was in town and stopping at Morley's.

'I see through it,' Charles exclaimed. 'He finds he's made a mistake; and now he's come over here to reopen negotiations.'

I was all for waiting prudently till the Count made the first move. 'Don't let him see your eagerness,' I said. But Amelia’s ardour could not now be restrained. She insisted that Charles should call on the Graf as a mere return of his politeness in the Tyrol.

He was as charming as ever. He talked to us with delight about the quaintness of London. He would be ravished to dine next evening with Sir Charles. He desired his respectful salutations meanwhile to Miladi Vandrift and Madame Ventvorth.

He dined with us, almost en famille. Amelia's cook did wonders. In the billiard-room, about midnight, Charles reopened the subject. The Count was really touched. It pleased him that still, amid