Mabel, 'that Mark's book should have been without
the advantage of Mr. Holroyd's assistance so long!'

She was the more angry with Vincent because she felt that he was
right.

'I don't think I quite deserved that,' said Vincent, sadly. 'If my
opinion had not been asked I should not have ventured to criticise;
and, now that I know that I have the book against me, of course I have
nothing more to say. _You_ seem to have misunderstood me a little,' he
added, looking straight at Caffyn. 'If you can give me a minute I
could easily explain all I meant.'

Caffyn understood. 'In private, I suppose?' he suggested softly, as he
drew Vincent a little aside. 'I thought as much,' said Caffyn, as the
other assented; 'they're going to dance here. Come up on the stage:
it's clear now, and the rag's down.'

He led the way up the wooden steps by the proscenium, pushed aside the
gold-and-crimson hangings, and they were in comparative darkness and
absolute privacy immediately.

'Now,' began Vincent, 'you had some object in saying what you did down
there. What was it?'

Caffyn had seated himself on the edge of a table which had been
rolled into a corner with some other stage furniture. He smiled with
much sweetness as he replied, 'I say, you know, we'd better come to
the point. I know all about it!'

Only the pressing need of discovering the full extent of the other's
information kept Vincent from some outburst.

'What do you know?' he demanded.

'Well,' said Caffyn, 'I know that you are the real pig, so to speak,
and that miserable humbug Ashburn's only the squeak.'

'You mean you think you know that--what is your authority?'

'Now,' protested Caffyn, in a tone of injury, 'do you think I should
venture on a bold statement like that without anything to back my
opinion?'

'And if Ashburn and I both deny your bold statement--what becomes of
it?'

'Ashburn has not denied it, and if he did I could put my hand on some
written evidence which would go a long way to settle the question.'

'I should like to see your evidence,' said Vincent.

'I was sure you would,' said Caffyn, 'but I don't happen to have it
here; in fact, the papers which contain it are in the charge of a very
dear friend of mine, who chanced to discover them.'

Vincent did not believe him.

'Perhaps you can describe them?' he asked quickly.

'Aha!' said Caffyn, 'I've made you sit up, as they say across the
water. Oh, I'll give you every information. Those p