The smooth, oily voice broke off suddenly, for Percy Levant had seized the speaker by the shoulder, and held him in a grasp of steel.
“Silence!” he groaned out between his teeth. “What devil prompted you to come here to-night?—Heaven!—to-night!”
“My dear Percy, I came to see how you were progressing; not that I was anxious! Oh, dear, no! I knew that that handsome face and lovely voice of yours would prove irresistible; but I wanted to see for myself how our little scheme was going on——”
“And I had forgotten you!” dropped from Percy Levant’s lips. “Yes, I swear it! I remembered nothing but that I loved her——”
Mr. Spenser Churchill’s lips wreathed in a rather painful smile, for the grasp of the strong hand made him shudder.
“You—you fiend, you cannot believe it, cannot understand! How should such as you believe that I had forgotten our devilish contract, that I should love her for herself alone——” He broke off and his head dropped.
“Come, come, my dear Percy, the delicate sentiment you have expressed does you credit. Of course you love Miss Marlowe for herself, and the fact that you happen to know that she is not so poor as she thinks herself—in fact, that in marrying her you make a rich man of yourself—goes for nothing. Of course, of course! Very nice and—er—proper. But—would you mind taking your hand from my shoulder; you have remarkably strong fingers, my dear Percy! But I trust you will not forget that I have a curious document in my possession——”
Percy Levant withdrew his hand with a sudden and violent thrust that caused the philanthropist to spin round like a teetotum.
“Remember? Yes, I remember!” he said, hoarsely. “It would be as well for you if I had continued to forget it! Keep out of my sight while you are here, or I will not answer for myself!”