Get me?"
"Yes, sir."
"I'll be back Sunday forenoon. Good-bye."
He hung up, went to his chauffeur's quarters over the garage, and
routed the man out of bed. Then he returned quietly to his room,
dressed and packed a bag for his journey, left a brief note for
Shirley notifying her of his departure, and started on his two-
hundred-and-fifty mile trip over the mountains to the south. As his
car sped through sleeping Sequoia and gained the open country, the
Colonel's heart thrilled pleasurably. He held cards and spades, big
and little casino, four aces and the joker; therefore he knew he
could sweep the board at his pleasure. And during his absence Shirley
would have opportunity to cool off, while he would find time to
formulate an argument to lull her suspicions upon his return.
CHAPTER XXXIII
Quite oblivious of her uncle's departure for San Francisco, Shirley
lay awake throughout the remainder of the night, turning over and
over in her mind the various aspects of the Cardigan-Fennington
imbroglio. Of one thing she was quite certain; peace must be declared
at all hazards. She had been obsessed of a desire, rather unusual in
her sex, to see a fight worth while; she had planned to permit it to
go to a knockout, to use Bryce Cardigan's language, because she
believed Bryce Cardigan would be vanquished--and she had desired to
see him smashed--but not beyond repair, for her joy in the conflict
was to lie in the task of putting the pieces together afterward! She
realized now, however, that she had permitted matters to go too far.
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