'The reason!' she insisted, taking no notice of the sentence. 'The reason!'
'I told Mallinson at the time when I was always meeting him here.'
Mrs. Willoughby gave a start. 'And because of that?' she cried.
'Yes,' said he. 'I thought the knowledge might give him a fairer,' he changed the word, 'a better, chance with Clarice.'
'Oh, how mean!' exclaimed Mrs. Willoughby, not so much in anger as in absolute disappointment. She turned away from him, and stood for a little looking out of the window. Then she said, 'Good-bye.'
And Fielding took his hat and left the house. He went down to the office, and was told that Drake wanted to see him.
'Drake!' he exclaimed. He pushed open the door of Drake's private office, and the latter looked up from his papers.
'You called me a damned liar this morning,' he said, 'and you were right.'
Fielding dropped into a chair. 'What do you mean?'
'That there's not a word of truth in the Meteor's charges, and I am prosecuting the editor. Did you post those letters?'