"I want my husband back."

"Very natural."

"I want you to get him back for me."

"That's a large order. I don't know the circumstances yet."

"There's nothing much to tell. I saw this Miss Verney and I saw
Clifford, and I've changed my mind--that's all."

"What did she say to you."

"She tried to make me believe that she wanted a divorce and would let
the suit go undefended."

"Bluff?"

"Yes."

"You saw through it at once?"

"Yes."

"Then what's made you switch?"

"Why shouldn't I change my mind?" countered Olive coldly.

Larssen summed her up now with pin-point accuracy. Jealousy had worked
this transformation. She wanted her husband because the other woman
wanted him. And he, Larssen, was dependent on Olive's whims! The
flotation of his Hudson Bay scheme hinging on her momentary fancies!

The fighting instinct surged up within him. He could look for no help
from Olive--it was to be a single-handed battle with Clifford Matheson.
Well, he'd give no quarter to anyone--man or woman!

Aloud he said, with a perfect assumption of resignation: "What do you
wish me to do?"

"I don't know. I want you to suggest."

"I suppose Sir Francis knows all about everything?"

"No; I've told him nothing. He still believes Clifford went to Canada."

"That simplifies matters."

"How?"

"I've got the glimmering of a plan. Let me work out details before I put
it before you for the O.K.... As I see the problem, it's this. You want
Clifford to cut loose from Miss Verney. You want him to return to you.
You want me to use that signature to my Hudson Bay prospectus to induce
him to return."

"Well?"

"You're making a mistake."

"In what?"

"Never try to force a man's feelings in such a matter. Get him to
persuade himself. Let him return of his own free will or not at all. Now
my plan, if it works out right, will do that."

"What _is_ the plan?"

"Give me time to get details settled. Is Clifford in London?"

"I don't know where he is."

"I suppose I could get his address through Miss Verney?"

"No doubt."

"Where is she in Wiesbaden?"

"With Dr Hegelmann."

"Just one more question: are you a good sailor?"

"Yes; but why? What a curious question!"

Larssen smiled at her reassuringly. "You'll have to trust me a little.
Naturally I want my Hudson Bay scheme to go through smoothly, and if at
the same time I can bring husband and wife together, why, it'll be the
best day's work done in my life! It'll m