"Oh! I don't know him at all. I don't wish to know him," said Mr. Brace rather stiffly. "I had only seen him once before I met him in Miss Million's room here the other day. I was really annoyed to find him here."
I persisted. "Why?"
"Because the man's not—well, not the sort of man your brother (if you have one) would be too pleased to find you making friends with, Miss Lovelace."
"Never mind all these brothers and sisters. They aren't here," I said rather impatiently. "What sort of man d'you mean you think Mr. Burke is that you want Miss Million warned against him?"
"I think any man would guess at the kind of man he was—shady."
"D'you mean," I said, "that he cheats at cards; that sort of thing?"
"Oh! I don't know that he'd do that——"
"What does he do, then?"
"Ah! that's what one would like to know," said the young bank manager, frowning down at me. "What does he do? How does he live? Apparently in one room in Jermyn Street, over a hairdresser's.
"But he's never there. He's always about in the most expensive haunts in London, always with people who have money. Pigeons to pluck. I don't believe the fellow has a penny of his own, Miss Lovelace."