ved her intention she had rung the bell.

"I think," she said, "that you are a very impertinent person. Please go
away at once."

He shrugged his shoulders as he turned towards the door. His expression
was still entirely good-humoured.

"Don't be angry with me, Miss Longworth," he said, as he paused for a
moment with his hand upon the knob of the door; "it's all in my day's
work, you know. One has to try and find out these things, or one
wouldn't be worth one's place. We had word down at the office that you
had just come from the country, and that something might be done
with you."

"And I think it was most unfair and ungentlemanly," Virginia began.

"It seems so, I dare say," he admitted, "from your point of view; but
you must remember, Miss Longworth, that it is all part of a game which
is played here all the time. Each side knows the other's moves; there is
no deceit about it. Men like your uncle, who want to cover up their
actions, take as much pains to hoodwink us, and use any means that occur
to them to keep us in the dark when they want to. They just make use of
us, and we have to try and make use of them. Good night, Miss
Longworth!"

He left the room, and Virginia returned to the piano. Her fingers were
shaking, however, and she was unable to play. She took up a book and
tried to read. All the time she kept glancing at the clock. At last she
rose to her feet and left the room. The hour and a half was up.

CHAPTER V

TREACHERY

Somewhat to Virginia's surprise, when at last she stepped with beating
heart into the library, she found her uncle alone. He was sitting in
front of his open desk, a pile of papers before him, and a long,
black-looking cigar between his teeth. Scarcely glancing up, he motioned
her to a seat.

"In five minutes," he said, "I shall want to talk to you."

She sat down in one of the chairs, now vacant, which had been drawn up
to the study table. The air of the room was heavy with tobacco smoke,
and there were empty liqueur glasses upon the sideboard. Yet Virginia
somehow felt that it was not only to take their after-dinner coffee, and
enjoy a chat over their cigars, that these men had met together around
the table before which she was sitting. She had the feeling somehow that
things had been happening in that little room, of which she and Phineas
Duge were now the only occupants.

"Virginia!"

She turned her head suddenly. Her uncle was looking at her. His eyes had
lost