, Johnny decided, was not, as Con had supposed, drunk, but he had
evidently been in the wars. It was surprising the number of places in
which he seemed to be wounded. He walked stiffly, he carried his right
arm stiffly. His face was decorated with plaster, and his obviously very
good clothes were torn; for what Hugh Alston had commenced so ably last
night, Rundle had completed this morning.

"It is private and personal, my business with you. I understand you are
engaged to be married to a lady in whom I have felt some interest."

Johnny looked up and stiffened.

"Well?"

"I allude to Miss Joan Meredyth, for some time engaged by me as a typist
in my city office."

"Well?"

"Miss Meredyth did not always hold the position in society that she does
now."

"I am aware of that."

"There may be a great deal that you are not aware of," said Slotman; and
Slotman was quivering with rage at the indignities he had been subjected
to.

"You will forgive me," said Johnny, "but I do not propose to discuss my
future wife with a stranger--with anyone at all, in fact, and certainly
not with a stranger."

"And you will forgive me," said Slotman, "but when you have heard what I
have to say, I very much doubt if you will regard Miss Joan Meredyth in
the light of your future wife."

Johnny moved towards the door and opened it.

"I think it will be better if you go," he said quietly.

"If you do, you will be sorry when it is too late. I come here as a
friend--"

"You will go!"

"In June, nineteen hundred and eighteen, when Joan Meredyth was a girl
at school--"

"I have told you that I will not listen."

"She gave it out that she was leaving England for Australia. She never
went in reality, she--

"Once more I order you to go before I--"

"In reality she was living with Mr. Hugh Alston as his wife--"

Philip Slotman laughed nervously.

"Liar!"

"I had to tell you in spite of yourself, and it is true. It is true. Ask
Lady Linden of Cornbridge; she knows. She believes to this day that Joan
Meredyth and Alston were married, and they never were. I have searched
the registers at Marlbury and--"

"Will you go? You seem to have been hurt. You have probably carried this
lying story elsewhere and have received what you merited. I hardly like
to touch you now, but unless you go--"

"I am going." Slotman moved stiffly towards the door. "Ask Lady Linden
of Cornbridge. She believes to this day that Joan Meredyth is Hugh
Als