"Excellency," said Philip, staring hard at the end of his cigarette,
"by every subtle device at his command, he is making graceful love to
Miss Westfall, who is sufficiently wholesome and happy and absorbed in
her gypsy life not to know it--yet!"
The Barents explosive "Ah!" was a compound of wrath and outraged
astonishment. Philip felt his attitude toward his chief undergoing a
subtle revolution.
"His discretion," added Philip warmly, "has departed to that forgotten
limbo which has claimed his beard."
The Baron was staring very hard at the camp fire.
"So," said he at last,--"it is for this that I have been--" he searched
for an expressive Americanism, and shrugging, invented one,
"thunder-cracking along the highway in search of the man Themar saw by
the fire of Miss Westfall. 'It is incredible--it can not be!' said I,
as I blistered about, searching here, searching there, losing my way
and thunder-cracking about in dead of night--all to pick up the trail
of a green and white van and a music-machine! 'It is unbelievable--it
is a monstrous mistake on the part of Themar!' But, Poynter, this love
making, in the circumstances, passes all belief!" The Baron added that
twice within the week he had passed the hay-camp but that by some
unlucky fatality he had always contrived to miss the music-machine.
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