preferred to have been slim and handsome, and to have known the ways of
the social world from his youth, but there were plenty of other things
to be interested in, and he was not averse to the power which follows on
wealth. He was a self-made Englishman, with nothing of the Jew about
him, either for good or evil. But no apparition could have been more
surprising to the two as he came slowly over the grass to meet them.
Molly saw at once that Adela's husband was exceedingly annoyed, probably
exceedingly angry, and although she had always felt his capacity for
being very angry, she had never seen him in that condition before.

"I came down in the motor to get a short talk on business with Miss
Dexter," he explained, "but I am sorry to disturb a more amusing
conversation."

Edmund, of course, after that left them alone, and walked off by
himself.

Molly looked all her astonishment at Adela's "Tim."

"Miss Dexter," he said very slowly, "I was given to understand when you
came to us in the winter that you were a young lady wanting a home and
some amusement in London. I thought it kindly in my wife to wish to have
you with her, and, as she is young and a good deal alone" (Molly looked
the other way at this assertion), "I thought it would be for the
advantage of both. But I had no notion that there was any question of
payment in the case, and I must now ask you to tell me exactly what you
have paid to Mrs. Delaport Green since first you made her acquaintance."

Molly was not entirely astonished at discovering that Adela's husband
had known nothing whatever of Adela's financial arrangements with
herself. But she was so angry at this proof of what she had up to now
only faintly suspected, that it was not very difficult to make her tell
all that she knew of her share in Adela's expenses, only that knowledge
proved to be of a very vague kind. Molly had kept no accounts, and had
the vaguest notion of what her bills included. One thing she intended to
conceal (but Mr. Delaport Green managed to make her confide even that)
was the fact that she had given L100 to his wife's dressmaker. He made
no comment of any sort, only firmly and quietly insisted on Molly
giving him all the items she could. Then he got up and said--

"Good-bye for the present; I want to get back in time for lunch."

And he walked away, making one or two notes in a little book he held in
his hand as to the cheque that Molly should find waiting for her next
da