"What do you want of me? Speak! My time is of value."
"Yes, I know—about forty thousand pounds."
"Humph! Go on, will you. I'll tell you what you want, only be quick about it."
"I merely want to know the exact and real truth of Miss Fitzgerald's connection with this bribery and corruption business."
"I told your friend, the Secretary."
"I know what you told him, he's just retailed it to me; but you will pardon me, if I state that, as an observer, of human nature, I don't believe it."
"I've said what I've said," replied the Colonel, surlily.
"Let us see if we can't arrive at a mutual understanding," continued Kent-Lauriston, suavely. "You wish to injure the girl and make her marriage with my friend impossible, because you think she's betrayed you. I wish to render the marriage impossible, because I don't care to see this young man make a fool of himself by marrying a girl who's after his money, and who has nothing to offer in return. Our ends are identical, our motives only are different. Do you follow me?"
The Colonel nodded.
"Now," resumed Kent-Lauriston, "you've told a very clever circumstantial story, which has ruined her in Stanley's eyes, and has stopped the match, as we both wished. Its only flaw lies in the fact that it is not true. If he finds this out, he'll marry her in spite of us; but he is much less likely to find it out if I know the real state of the case, and, as a corollary, the weak points of your narrative, and so am able to prevent the discovery. Do you believe me?"