Page:Pleased to Meet You (1927).pdf/162

 They paid it. The florin may depreciate but the Illyrian kiss remains always perfect par, a sterling medium of exchange.

"Pinch me," she said at last. "I guess I've been enchanted into a different world. I thought for a moment you were some kind of fairy prince."

It was too comprehensive to be described as a pinch.

"Let's do this every evening. Your work won't take up very much of your time, will it? Is this going to be included in your reports?"

"One has to exercise discretion," said the Colonel. "Otherwise everybody at Geneva would be after the job. Republics would be breaking out all over the place."

"I wonder if you do this sort of thing because you like it, or because the League makes you?"

"Geneva expects every man to do his duty," he said tenderly.

From the distant cathedral came the boom of midnight, followed by small tinny chimes tinkling in various quarters of the town.