"At your coming? No. At another time I might have warned you that it
was not wise, but I feel sure you would not have run so much risk
without a serious and adequate reason."
She nodded.
"Yes, I have a very serious reason," she said. "Have you time to
spare?"
"All the morning."
"Were you on duty last night?"
"For the best part."
"Is that why you look so tired and ill?"
He smiled faintly.
"I might reply with a _tu quoque_. But that doesn't matter. You have
some trouble to tell me. What has happened?"
"You have heard nothing?"
"Nothing whatever." He drew a stool toward him and seated himself at
her side. "You know, I am not a person to whom gossip drifts quickly."
"It's not gossip--it's truth. The Marut Diamond Company is closed--for
good and all."
"You mean--it has gone smash?"
"Completely--and we with it."
He sat silent for a moment, his head resting thoughtfully on his hand.
"I suppose it had to come," he said at last. "Somehow, it always
seemed to me that the concern was doomed. The foundations weren't
honest. The Rajah was more or less beguiled into it--" He broke off,
turning crimson with vexation. "I beg your pardon, Beatrice. I forgot
that that was one of your--escapades."
She looked at him steadily, and he was struck and again strangely
moved by her pale beauty. He had never seen her so gentle, so free
from her cold and mocking gaiety.
"You must not apologize.
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