"BERENICE."

CHAPTER XIII

Matravers walked back to his rooms and ordered his portmanteau to be
packed. Then he went out, and after making all his arrangements for an
absence from town, bought a Bradshaw. There were two trains, he found,
by which he could travel, one at three, the other at half-past four.
He arranged to catch the earlier one, and drove to his club for lunch.
Afterwards he strolled towards the smoking-room, but finding it
unusually full, was on the point of withdrawing. As he lingered on the
threshold, a woman's name fell upon his ears. The speaker was Mr.
Thorndyke. He became rigid.

"Why, yes, I gave her the victoria," he was saying. "We called it a
birthday present, or something of that sort. I supposed every one
knew about that. Those little arrangements generally are known
somehow!"

The innuendo was unmistakable. Matravers advanced with his usual
leisurely walk to the little group of men.

"I beg your pardon," he said quietly. "I understood Mr. Thorndyke to
say, I believe, that he had given a carriage to a certain lady. Am I
correct?"

Thorndyke turned upon him sharply. There was a sudden silence in the
crowded room. Matravers' clear, cold voice, although scarcely raised
above the pitch of ordinary conversation, had penetrated to its
furthest corner.

"And if I did, sir! What----"

"These gentlemen will bear me witness that you did say so?" Matravers
interrupted calmly. "I regret to have to use unpleasant language, Mr.
Thorndyke, but I am compelled to tell you, and these gentlemen, that
your statement is a lie!"

Thorndyke was a florid and a puffy man. The veins upon his temples
stood out like whipcord. He was not a pleasant sight to look upon.

"What do you mean, sir?" he spluttered. "The carriage was mine before
she had it. Everybody recognizes it."

[Illustration: "I am compelled to tell you, and these gentlemen, that
your statement is a lie!"]

"Exactly. The carriage was yours. You intended every one to recognize
it. But you have omitted to state, both here and in other places, that
the lady bought that carriage from you for two hundred and sixty
guineas--a good deal more than its worth, I should imagine. You heard
her say that she was thinking of buying a victoria, and you offered
her yours--pressed her to buy it. It was too small for your horses,
you said, and you were hard up. You even had it sent round to her
stables without her consent. I have heard t