Elizabeth, feeling her way by the mantelpiece, came to Philip’s side.  His arm supported her, holding her as though in a vise.

“Is that your cousin?” she whispered hoarsely.  “Is that Douglas Romilly?  Is he alive, after all?”

Philip had no words, but his face spoke for him.  Then they both turned to listen.  The newcomer had dragged a chair towards him and was leaning over the back of it.  He addressed Philip.

“We met, as you know, on the canal path that beastly afternoon,” he began.  “I was jolly well ashamed of myself for having made love to Beatrice, and all the rest of it, and you were mad with rage.  We had a sort of tussle and you threw me into the canal.  It was a nasty dark spot just underneath the bridge.  I expect I was stunned for a moment, but it was only for a moment.  I came to long before I choked, and when I remembered your grip upon my throat, I decided I was safer where I was.  I could swim like a duck, you know, and though it was filthy water I took a long dive.  When I came up again—­gad, what disgusting water it was!—­you were tearing off like a creature possessed.  That’s the true history of our little fracas.”

“But afterwards?” Philip asked wonderingly.  “What happened afterwards?”

“You just tell them all about it,” Beatrice ordered him sternly.  “Go on, Douglas.”

“Well, you see,” Douglas Romilly continued, “I was just going to scramble out on to the bank when my brain began to work, and I swam slowly along instead.  You see, just then I was in a devil of a mess.  I’d spent a lot of money, and though I’d kept the credit of the firm good, I knew that the business was bust, and the one thing I was anxious about was to get off to America without being stopped.  I’ve explained this all to Beatrice, and why I didn’t send for her before.  Anyway, I swam along until I met with an old barge.  I climbed in and got two of the choicest blackguards you ever saw to let me spend an hour or two in their filthy cabin and to keep their mouths closed about it.  Fortunately, I had another pocketbook, with sufficient to satisfy them and keep me going.  Then I borrowed some clothes and came out to America, steerage.  I had no difficulty in getting my money, as I had a couple of pals in Lynn whom I had fixed things up with before I started.  They came and identified me as Merton Ware, and we all three started in business together as the Ford Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company at Lynn in Massachusetts.  Incidentally, we’ve done all right.  Heaps more, of course, but that’s the pith of it.  As for the body that was fished out of the canal, if you make enquiries, you’ll find there was a tramp missing, a month or so before.”

Elizabeth had begun to sob quietly.  Philip, who was holding her tenderly in his arms, whispered unheard things into her ears.  It was Beatrice who remained in charge of the situation.

“So now, Mr. Dane,” she jeered, “what about your little errand?  I hope this will be a lesson to you not to come meddling in other people’s affairs.”