"You win! You are certainly the most wonderful girl in the world! I'll make it one thousand dollars, win, lose, or draw. But the quicker the cablegram--"
"--grams," she corrected--"plural. For greater effect at this end!"
"--grams!" he echoed. "And now you must come with me to the bank to get your letter of credit and some English money. I'll pay in advance."
He rose. Miss Keogh motioned to him to sit down again. He did so, and looked at her alertly. It might have disconcerted some girls--but not the only absolutely perfect one. Not at all!
"You forgot it!" she told him, with one of those utterly maddening smiles of forgiveness with which beautiful women rivet the fetters and make one grateful.
"Why?" she answered. "That is what! Why?"
Her beautiful head nodded twice with a birdlike gracefulness. Her eyes were very blight--and very dark! Her cheeks were flushed. Her ripe lips, slightly parted, were overpoweringly tempting.
Jerningham stood up again and stared fixedly at her as though he would read miles and miles beyond her wonderful eyes--into the very depths of her soul! He approached her and held out both his hands. After a scarcely perceptible hesitation she placed hers in his. He shook them with profound gravity; then bowed and raised her right to his lips--and kissed it twice. Still holding her hands in his, he said to her, earnestly:
"My dear child, you are the most wonderful woman in all the world. You are simply the last word in utter perfection. I am a millionaire, but not a crook. I am forty, but still strong. I have never been in love with a woman; but I now know I could be. If you ever wish to marry for the ease and comfort that great wealth gives, or if you ever feel like using your wonderful gifts to make a man who has both money and brains become an important personage in the world--just say the word. There is nothing--nothing, do you hear?--that we could not do together, you and I. My name is--" He paused and looked at her as if to make sure again.
"Yes?" she said, in her most heavenly voice. She released her hands, but her eyes never left his. "Jerningham."
"Ah!" said Miss Keogh, calmly, but her flowerlike cheeks were azalea-pink, and her eyes were full of light. She had read the _Planet's_ articles. She did not remember how many million dollars Jerningham was supposed to have; but she did remember how the fairest of the fair had tried--and failed!