Brooks answered,
emphatically. "I have no idea what she wants to see you about, but I
am convinced that her visit has a legitimate object."

Lord Arranmore stuck the card in his waistcoat pocket and shrugged his
shoulders.

"You are my man of affairs, Brooks. I commission you to see her. Find
out her business if you can, and don't let me be bothered unless it is
necessary."

Brooks hesitated.

"I am not sure that I care to interfere--that my presence might not be
likely to cause her embarrassment," he said. "I have seen her lately,
and she made no mention of this visit."

Lord Arranmore glanced at him as though surprised. "I should like you
to see her," he said, suavely. "It seems to me preferable to asking
her to state her business to a servant. If you have any objection to
doing so she must be sent back."

Brooks turned unwillingly away. As he had expected, Mary sprang to her
feet upon his entrance into the room, and the colour streamed into
her cheeks.

"You here!" she exclaimed.

He shook hands with her, and tried to behave as though he thought her
presence the most natural thing in the world. "Yes. You see I am Lord
Arranmore's man of affairs now, and he keeps me pretty hard at work. He
seems to have a constitutional objection to doing anything for himself.
He has even sent me to--to--"

"I understand," she interrupted. "To ascertain my business. Well, I
can't tell it even to you. It is Lord Arranmore whom I want to see. No
one else will do."

Brooks leaned against the table and looked at her with a puzzled smile.

"You see, it's a little awkward, isn't it?" he declared. "Lord
Arranmore is very eccentric, and especially so upon this point. He will
not see strangers. Write him a line or two and let me take it to
him."

She considered for a moment.

"Very well. Give me a piece of paper and an envelope."

She wrote a single line only. Brooks took it back into the great inner
hall, where Lord Arranmore had started another game of billiards with
Lady Caroom.

"Miss Scott assured me that her business with you is private," he
announced. "She has written this note."

Lord Arranmore laid his cue deliberately aside and broke the seal. It
was evident that the contents of the note consisted of a few words only,
yet after once perusing them he moved a little closer to the light and
re-read them slowly. Then with a little sigh he folded the note in the
smallest possible compass and thrust it into his wais