Women and romance were never fluttering about lank, light-eyed,
uninteresting old Scotchmen of twenty-nine!

A mild and wistful pang, which McLean refused to name, made itself
known.

"I'll see the legation," he began.

"At once. I'll wait," urged Ryder.

And at once McLean went.

* * * * *

The result was what he had foreseen. The legation was appreciative
of his interest. That special agent had returned to France but his
address was left, and undoubtedly the family of Delcassé would be
grateful for any information which Monsieur McLean could send.

"Send!" repudiated Ryder hotly. "Write to France and back--wait for
somebody to come over! Can't the legation do something now?"

"The legation has no authority. They can't take the girl away from
the man who is, at any rate, her step-father."

"They can put the fear of God into him about this marriage. They
can deny his right to hand her over to one of his pals. They can
threaten him with an inquiry into the circumstances of her mother's
marriage."