“See you later, then, Brooks.”

Brooks changed his clothes leisurely, and went into the smoking-room for some sandwiches and a glass of wine.  A small boy shouting his number attracted his attention.  He called him, and was handed a card.

“Lord Arranmore!”

“You can show the gentleman here,” Brooks directed.

Arranmore came in, and nodded a little wearily to Brooks, whom he had not seen since the latter had left Enton.

“I won’t keep you,” he remarked.  “I just wanted a word with you about that obstinate young person Miss—­er—­Scott.”

Brooks wheeled an easy-chair towards him.

“I am in no great hurry,” he remarked.

Arranmore glanced at the clock.

“More am I,” he said, “but I find I am dining with the Prime Minister at nine o’clock.  It occurs to me that you may have some influence with her.”

“We are on fairly friendly terms,” Brooks admitted.

“Just so.  Well, she may have told you that my solicitors approached her, as the daughter of Martin Scott, with the offer of a certain sum of money, which is only a fair and reasonable item, which I won from her father at a time when we were not playing on equal terms.  It was through that she found me out.”

“Yes, I knew as much as that.”

“So I imagined.  But the hot-headed young woman has up to now steadily refused to accept anything whatever from me.  Quite ridiculous of her.  There’s no doubt that I broke up the happy home, and all that sort of thing, and I really can’t see why she shouldn’t permit me the opportunity of making some restitution.”

“You want her to afford you the luxury of salving your conscience,” Brooks remarked, dryly.

Lord Arranmore laughed hardly.

“Conscience,” he repeated.  “You ought to know me better, Brooks, than to suppose me possessed of such a thing.  No; I have a sense of justice, that is all—­a sort of weakness for seeing the scales held fairly.  Now, don’t you think it is reasonable that she should accept this money from me?”

“It depends entirely upon how she feels,” Brooks answered.  “You have no right to press it upon her if she has scruples.  Nor have you any right to try and enlist her family on your side, as you seem to be doing.”

Will you discuss it with her?

“I should not attempt to influence her,” Brooks answered.

“Be reasonable, Brooks.  The money can make no earthly difference to me, and it secures for her independence.  The obligation, if only a moral one, is real enough.  There is no question of charity.  Use your influence with her.”

Brooks shook his head.

“I have great confidence in Miss Scott’s own judgment,” he said.  “I prefer not to interfere.”

Arranmore sat quite still for a moment.  Then he rose slowly to his feet.

“I am sorry to have troubled you,” he said.  “The world seems to have grown more quixotic since I knew it better.  I am almost afraid to ask you whether my last letter has yet received the favour of your consideration.”