had
been reading into an open drawer.

"What is it? What do you want?"

"A gentleman to see you, sir. Mr. Alston from--"

"I can't see him!" Slotman said quickly. "Tell him I am out, and
that--"

"I am already here, and you are going to see me." Hugh Alston came in.
"You can go!" to the boy, who hesitated. "You hear me, you can go!"

Hugh closed the door after the lad.

"You're not going to be too busy to see me this morning, Slotman, for I
have interesting things to discuss with you."

"I am a busy man," Slotman began nervously.

"Very!" said Hugh--"very, so I hear."

He stepped into the room, and faced Slotman across the paper-littered
table.

"I have been hearing about some of your enterprises," he said, and there
was that in his face that caused Mr. Slotman a feeling of insecurity and
uneasiness. "One of them is blackmail!"

"How dare--" Slotman began, with an attempt at bluster.

"That's what I am here for; to dare. You have been blackmailing a young
lady whose name we need not mention. You have obtained the sum of three
thousand pounds from her, by means of threats. I want that money--and
more; I want a declaration from you that you will never molest her
again; for if you do--if you do--"

Hugh's face was not good to see, and Mr. Slotman quivered uneasily in
his chair.

"The--the money was lent to me. Miss Meredyth worked for me, and--and I
went to her, explaining that my business was in a precarious condition,
and she very kindly lent me the money. And I haven't got it, Mr. Alston.
I'll swear I haven't a penny of it left. I could not repay it if I
wanted to; it--it was a friendly loan."

Slotman leaned back in his chair; he looked at Hugh.

"You have done me a cruel wrong, Mr. Alston," he said, in the tone of a
deeply injured man. "Miss Meredyth worked for me, and while she was here
I respected her, even more." He paused. "At any rate I respected her.
She attracted me, and, I will confess it, I fell in love with her. She
was poor; she had nothing then to tempt a fortune hunter, and thank
Heaven I can say I was never that. I asked her to be my wife, no man
could do more, no man could act more honourably. You'll admit that, eh?
You must admit that?"

"And she refused you?"

"Not--not definitely. It was too good an offer for a girl in her
position to refuse without consideration."

"You lie!"

Slotman shifted uneasily. "I cannot force your belief."

"You're right, you can't. Well, go on-