Sometime, she is sure to make a slip or forget her lines. But, let her
be at large and, with plenty of funds at her command, she will be a
will-o-the-wisp, to be followed over the world for years--and her slips
will be few and very far between, and with no one there to note them."
"Very good," said Frederick; "keep her or send her, as you see
fit--only, don't embroil me with America, if you can avoid it."
"There is no danger," I assured him. "Courtney says he will not
interfere, so long as she claims to be my wife."
Frederick laughed. "Courtney's a friend," he said heartily.
"None better lives," I replied.
He lit a fresh cigar and studied the coal, a bit.
"I wish you would tell me," he said, "whether you have any evidence
connecting Lotzen with this matter."
"Not a scrap nor a syllable," I answered promptly.
"Has he ever exhibited any ill will toward you?"
"None, whatever. On the contrary, he has been uniformly courteous and
considerate--and I have told you of his action, last night, at the
supper."
"All of which is just what he would do if he were guilty," was the
answer. "No, no, Armand; your refusal to implicate Lotzen does you
credit, but this attack on you comes at such an opportune moment, for
him, that he may not escape the suspicion which it breeds.
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