ris. He was fairly good looking, and always irreproachably
dressed. Stella looked at him more than once approvingly. He was
certainly a desirable companion. For the rest, she had little vanity,
and she knew well enough that he had some purpose of his own in seeking
her out. She had only known of him as one of her father's allies, and
she was puzzled to know the meaning of that first question of his.

He seemed in no hurry, however, to satisfy her curiosity. He had
ordered a wonderful lunch, and not until they had reached its final
stage did he refer again to anything approaching serious conversation.
Then he leaned a little across the table towards her, and she felt the
change in his expression and tone, as he began to speak in lowered
voice.

"Miss Duge," he said, "I dare say you were surprised at my question to
you. Let me explain. Your father and several others of us have been
allies for some time in some very important matters connected with
finance. For the last few months, however, we have all felt a sort of
vague uneasiness one with the other. Apparently we were all still
pulling the same way, yet I think that each one of us had the feeling
that there was something wrong. We all began to distrust one another. To
come to an end quickly, I hope I do not offend you, Miss Duge, when I
say that it is my belief that your father has been and is trying to
deceive us for his own benefit."

Stella nodded assent.

"Well," she said, "I don't know why you should imagine that it could
offend me to hear you say that. I understood that amongst you who
control the money-markets there is no friendship, nor any right and
wrong. At least if there is, it is the man who succeeds who is right,
and the man who fails who is wrong."

"To a certain extent you are right, Miss Duge," he answered, "but you
must remember that there is an old adage, 'Honour amongst thieves!'"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well," she said, "we won't discuss that. You have got so far in your
story as to tell me that you believe my father is trying to get the best
of you all, and you seem to be a little nervous about it. Well, I know
my father, and I don't mind telling you that I should not be in the
least surprised if you were right."

He lit a cigarette and passed the box across the table to her.

"Good!" he said. "It is a pleasure to talk to you, Miss Duge. You grasp
everything so quickly. Now you understand the position, then. There are
three or fo