-"honest" was the word she used to herself. But she told herself
that now she had started, perhaps she had better go straight on with it.

"It's my belief that Piper did ask Mrs. Crofton to speak to you, sir,
about the matter, and I thought, maybe, that she 'ad done so. 'Ave I your
permission to say, sir, that I met you in the road, and that the subject
cropped up as it were?"

"You can say anything you like," said Radmore coldly.

He could not ask this strange, sinister woman to remain silent, yet the
thought that Enid Crofton was about to be told that he and this Mrs.
Piper had discussed her affairs was very disagreeable to him.

Radmore was tempted for a moment to do a quixotic act, to say to the
woman, "I will find this money for your husband; don't trouble Mrs.
Crofton," and but for what had happened not an hour ago he would almost
certainly have done so. But now he felt as if he never wanted to hear
Enid Crofton's name mentioned again, and he would have given a good deal
to obliterate her and her concerns entirely from his memory.

They were now, much to his relief, close to The Trellis House: "I will
ring the bell for you," he said courteously, and then, without waiting
for her thanks, he hurried off towards Old Place.

* * * * *

The next evening Jack Tosswill drew Radmore aside. "Look here," he said
awkwardly, "I wonder if you'd kindly wait a bit after the others have
gone to bed? I want to ask you something, Godfrey."

"Of course I will, old chap." Radmore looked hard into the young man's
moody, troubled face, and came to a certain conclusion. Doubtless Enid
Crofton had given Jack his dismissal, and the foolish fellow was going to
pour it all out. He felt he was in for a disagreeable, not to say
painful, half hour. Few people of a kindly disposition even reach the age
Radmore had reached without having had more than one such talk with a
young man crossed in love.

As soon as they settled themselves down, each with his pipe, in front
of the drawing-room fire, Jack began, speaking obviously with a great
effort, and yet with a directness and honesty which the older man
admired:--

"Look here, Godfrey? It's no use beating about the bush. I want to know
if you can lend me L500, and I want to say at once that I don't know when
I shall be able to pay you back. Still, I shall be able to pay you
interest. I suppose one pays the bank rate? I don't know anything about
those thing