242
THE AUTHOR OF "TRIXIE"
you to decide. Are you going to persist in this imbecility and be given in charge for swindling the railway, or are you going to send all these blitherers away and resume diplomatic relations with us according to the status quo ante?"
"You see, dear Chloë," he whispered, "I don't believe that you will give me in charge."
"Well," she whispered back, "I don't believe that you've got any manuscript in that dispatch-case."
"It's a deadlock," whispered Dunkle. "That's what it is. A deadlock. Oh, for a formula, however unsatisfactory to both parties!"
At this moment the lift descended. Its gate was drawn back with a crash, and from it the Prime Minister emerged. In his hand was a brown-paper parcel.
