'Simon,' he said, 'don't play any tricks on me. If you do, I'll thrash you first, and then dismiss you on the spot.'
'It's through the new manager of the drapery, sir, in place of Mr. Bentley—I forget his name. Mr. Bentley's room being all upset with police and accountants and things, the new manager has been using your office. And I was in there to-day, and he was engaging a young lady for the millinery, sir. He didn't recognise her, not having been here long enough, but I did. It was Miss Payne.'
'Impossible!'
'Yes, sir; Miss Payne—that is to say, Mrs. Tudor. I heard him say, "Very well, you can start to-morrow morning."'
'That's this morning?'
'Yes, sir.'
'Why didn't you tell me this last night?' Hugo roared.
'It slipped my memory, sir,' said Simon, surpassing all previous feats of insolence.
Hugo, speechless, waved him out of the room.