"Yes?" said Chris.

Her eyes rested for a moment upon the cheque-book, and returned to his
face. They held a curious expression as of relief and doubt mingled.

"That is how he betrayed my trust," he told her quietly. "He used that
cheque to forge my signature and withdraw a sum of money from my account
which under ordinary circumstances I should probably never have missed.
As he is aware, I keep a large account, and I am in the habit of drawing
large cheques. As it chanced, the account was not quite so large as
usual, and it did not quite cover the amount withdrawn. Consequently my
attention was called to it, and I looked into the matter and
discovered--this."

"Yes?" said Chris. "Yes?"

She was breathing very fast. It was evident that her agitation was
getting beyond her control.

He clasped her hands closer, with a warm and comforting pressure. He
knew--or he thought he knew--what this revelation would mean to her. Had
not Bertrand been even more her friend, her trusted counsellor, than his
own?

"That is all the story, dear," he said gently. "We have got to face it as
bravely as we can. He will leave in the morning, so you need not see him
again."

She made a quick, involuntary movement, and her hands slipped from his.

"Not see him again!" she repeated, staring at him with wide eyes. "Not
see him again!"

"I think it would be wiser not," he said, very kindly. "It would only
cause you unnecessary pain."

She uttered a sudden breathless little laugh. "Trevor--am I dreaming?
Or--are you mad? You don't--actually--believe he did this thing?"

His face hardened a little. "He had the sense not to attempt to deny it.
There was no question as to his guilt. He was the only person besides
myself who had access to my cheque-book."

"But--" Chris said, and paused, as if to collect her thoughts. "How much
was taken?" she asked after a moment.

"That," Mordaunt observed, "is the least important part of the whole
miserable business."

"Still, tell me," she persisted.

"He took five hundred pounds."

"Trevor!" She gasped for breath, and turned so white that he thought for
a moment she would faint.

He put his arm round her quickly. "Chris, we won't discuss it any further
to-night. You must go back to bed. You will catch cold if you stay here
any longer."

But for the first time in her life she resisted him. She drew away from
him. She almost pushed him from her.

"Five hundred pounds!" she said, speakin