"'S all fixed, ladies and gentlemen," he cried, with a showman's eloquence. "Here's Lady Crandall come to tell you about it, and she's so busy riding her hobby--gowns and millinery and such--she has forgotten. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts."
"Credit to whom credit is due, Mister Consul," she rallied. "I'm not stealing anybody's official thunder." The consul wagged a forefinger at her reprovingly. With impatience, the refugees waited to hear the news.
"Well, it's this way," Reynolds began. "I've got so tired having all you people sitting on my door-step I just had to make arrangements to ship you on the _Saxonia_ in self-defense. _Saxonia's_ due here from Naples Thursday--day after to-morrow; sails for New York at dawn Friday morning. Lady Crandall, here--and a better American never came out of the Middle West--has agreed to go bond for your passage money; all your letters of credit and checks will be cashed by treasury agents before you leave the dock at New York, and you can settle with the steamship people right there.
"No, no; don't thank me! There's the person responsible for your getting home." The consul waved toward the governor's lady, who blushed rosily under the tumultuous blessings showered on her. Reynolds ducked out the door to save his face. The Shermans made their good nights, and with Kimball, started toward the stairs.
"Thursday night, before you sail," Lady Crandall called to them, "you all have an engagement--a regular American dinner with me at the Government House. Remember!"
"If you have hash--plain hash--and don't call it a rag-owt, we'll eat you out of house and home," Sherman shouted as addendum to the others' thanks.
"And you, my dear"--Lady Crandall beamed upon Jane--"you're coming right home with me to wait for the _Saxonia's_ sailing. Oh, no, don't be too ready with your thanks. This is pure selfishness on my part. I want you to help plan my fall clothes. There, the secret's out. But with all those beautiful gowns, surely Hildebrand will not object if you leave the pattern of one of them in an out-of-the-way little place like this. Come on, now, I'll not take no for an answer. We'll pack up all these beauties and have you off in no time."
[Illustration: Lady Crandall beamed upon Jane.]