Copley stood with a smile upon his face, evidently very
sure of his ground. A longing to get away, to be alone with herself,
came over May Haredale. In a way she was grateful to Copley for saying
no more. She was glad when the performance was over and they began to
move towards the stairs. Here a stranger bustled up and touched Copley
on the arm. As he turned to the intruder his face changed. May thought
he looked almost alarmed, but it was a trifle and she only noticed it
vaguely. The recollection was to come back to her later.

"One moment, Sir George," Copley said. "Would you mind waiting for me in
the vestibule? It is a little business affair which won't detain me five
minutes."

Sir George passed on with his daughter, leaving the two men together.
Copley turned sharply round upon his companion.

"Now what is it?" he asked curtly.

"Oh, I thought you would like to know," the other said. "I only got back
last night. The first man I met this morning in the City was Aaron
Phillips."

"You don't mean that," Copley exclaimed.

"I do, indeed. It is a thousand pities I haven't managed to find you
before to-day. I have been chasing you from place to place in the most
maddening fashion. However, Phillips is here, and so I thought I would
come and warn you. No, no, I have made no mistake."

"But the thing is impossible, Foster. You know as well as I do that
Phillips was killed----"

"Well, so we imagined. Anyway, the beggar's back again, and there's no
getting away from it. And if he is allowed to talk, and we don't square
him----"

"Square him! Why, it would cost half a million!"

"Well, suppose it does. Won't it be cheap at the price? Wouldn't it be
better for us to plank that money down than be standing in--but you know
what I mean. It's a most infernal piece of ill luck, but, after all,
your position is by no means a bad one. You go everywhere, you are
eagerly sought after. Besides, who is to know whether you are a
millionaire or a pauper? You've got the reputation of being a rich man,
and with brains like yours----"

"I can't stop now," Copley said hurriedly. "I have some people supping
with me at the Carlton, and it is impossible to put them off."

The other man grinned.

"I understand," he said. "I guessed who the lady was. I'll come round to
your rooms at half-past twelve or a quarter to one, and then we can talk
the thing over quietly. You can see for yourself that the matter won't
keep."

C