"It was I who induced
the Emperor to become the titular head of this cursed Order. Of
course he knew nothing about the second or third degree members and
our methods. Without doubt he is fully informed now. I dare not
face him."
"What shall you do?" Lady Carey asked curiously.
"I am off to South America," he said. "It is a great undeveloped
country, and there is room for us to move there. Muriel, you know
what I want of you."
"My good man," she answered, "I haven't the faintest idea."
"You will come with me," he begged. "You will not send me into
exile so lonely, a wanderer! Together there may be a great future
before us. You have ambition, you love intrigue, excitement, danger.
None of these can you find here. You shall come with me. You shall
not say no. Have I not been your devoted slave? Have--"
She stopped him. Her lips were parted in a smile of good-natured
scorn.
"Don't be absurd, Saxe Leinitzer. It is true that I love intrigue,
excitement and danger. That is what made me join your Order, and
really I have had quite a little excitement out of it, for which
I suppose I ought to thank you. But as for the rest, why, you are
talking rubbish. I would go to South America to-morrow with the
right man, but with you, why, it won't bear talking about. It makes
me angry to think that you should believe me capable of such shocking
taste as to dream of going away with you.
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