“I may not love my father, but he’s in this on the same basis as you are, or I’m out of it,” she declared.  “I thought you might suggest something like this; that’s one reason I asked you to have him come.  Another reason—­and this is something I forgot to tell you awhile ago—­when I broke down and confessed everything to Dick Sherwood, I told Dick that Old Jimmie was really my guardian; and we both agreed that he should be present as a witness to any agreement, and to protect my interests.  Still another reason is that since we had to work so fast, the thing to do was to split the money on the spot in three ways, and then each of us shoot off in a different direction to-night before any bad luck had a chance to break.  In fact, Barney, this present minute is when you and I say our good-byes.”

He forgot his scheme to defraud Old Jimmie in the far greater concern aroused by her last words.  He leaned across the table and tried to take her hand, an attempt she deftly thwarted.

“But listen, Maggie,” he asked with husky eagerness, “you and I are going to have an understanding to join up with each other soon, aren’t we?  You know what I mean—­belong to each other.  You know how I feel about:  you!”

This was the principal point Maggie had been maneuvering toward.  Before her was the most difficult scene of the many which she had planned, on her successful management of which the success of everything seemed to depend.  Within she was palpitant with the strain and suspense of it all; but on Barney she held cool, appraising eyes.  In this splendid composure, her momentary withdrawal from him, she seemed to Barney more beautiful, more desirable, more indispensable, than at any time since he had discovered back at the Duchess’s that Maggie was a find.

“Of course I know exactly what you mean, Barney,” she responded with deliberation, bewitchingly alluring in her air of superiority.  “I’ve known for a long time you and I would have to have a real talk.  Are you ready for a straight talk now?”

“As straight as you can talk it!”

“I’ll probably fall for some man and marry him.  Every woman does.  But if I marry him, it’ll be because I love him.  But my marrying a man doesn’t mean I’m going to go into business with him.  I’m not going to mix love with business—­not unless the man is the right sort of man.  Of course it would be better if the man I marry and the man I take on as a business partner were the same man—­but I’m not going to take any risks.  You understand me so far.”

“Surest thing you know.  And every word you’ve said proves that your head isn’t just something to look pretty with.  Let me slip this over to you right at the start—­I’m the right sort of man!”

“That’s exactly what I want to find out,” she continued, with her deliberation, with the air of sitting secure upon the highest level.  “I know now what I can do.  I’ve proved it.  Now I’m going right ahead putting over big things.  You once told me I had it in me to be the best ever—­and I now know I can be.  I know I’ve got to tie up with a man, and the man has got to be just as good in his way as I am in mine.  Right there’s where I’m in doubt about you.  I said I was going to talk straight—­and I’m handing it to you straight.  I don’t know how good you are.”