Alma glanced over the paper.  The items astonished her.

’You mean to say, then, that I am in your debt for a hundred and thirty pounds?’

‘Debt be hanged!’ cried Dymes magnanimously.  ’That’s all done with, long ago.  I only wanted to explain how things were.’

Alma reddened.  She was trying to remember the state of her banking account, and felt sure that, at this moment, considerably less than a hundred pounds stood to her credit.  But she rose promptly.

‘Of course, I shall give you a cheque.’

’Nonsense!  Don’t treat me like a regular agent, Mrs. Rolfe.  Surely you know me better than that?  I undertook it for the pleasure of the thing ——­’

’But you don’t suppose I can accept a present of money from you, Mr Dymes?’

’Hang it!  Just as you like, of course.  But don’t make me take it now, as if I’d looked in with my little bill.  Send the cheque, if you must.  But what I really came for, when I called a few weeks ago, was something else —­ quite a different thing, and a good deal more important.  Just sit down again, if you can spare me a few minutes.’

With face averted, Alma sank back into her chair.  Harvey would give her the money without a word, but she dreaded the necessity of asking him for it.  So disturbed were her thoughts that she did not notice how oddly Dymes was regarding her, and his next words sounded meaningless.

‘By-the-bye, can we talk here?’

‘Talk ——?’

‘I mean’ —­ he lowered his voice —­ ’are we safe from interruption?  It’s all right; don’t look frightened.  The fact is, I want to speak of something rather awkward —­ but it’s something you ought to know about, if you don’t already.’

‘I am quite at leisure,’ she replied; adding, with a nervous movement of the head, ‘there will be no interruption.’

‘I want to ask you, then, have you seen Mrs. Strangeways lately?’

‘No.’

‘Nor Mrs. Carnaby?’

‘No.’

’I understand you’ve broken with them altogether?  You don’t want anything more to do with that lot?’

‘I have nothing whatever to do with them,’ Alma replied, steadying her voice to a cold dignity.

’And I think you’re quite right.  Now, look here —­ you’ve heard, I dare say, that I’m going to be married?  Well, I’m not the kind of fellow to talk sentiment, as you know.  But I’ve had fair luck in life, and I feel pretty pleased with myself, and if I can do anybody a friendly turn —­ anybody that deserves it —­ I’m all there.  I want you just to think of me as a friend, and nothing else.  You’re rather set against me, I know; but try and forget all about that.  Things are changed.  After all, you know, I’m one of the men that people talk about; my name has got into the “directories of talent”, as somebody calls them; and I have a good deal at stake.  It won’t do for me to go fooling about any more.  All I mean is, that you can trust me, down to the ground.  And there’s nobody I would be better pleased to help in a friendly way than you, Mrs. Rolfe.’