"Why not?" asked the girl defiantly.
"Up to an hour ago," said Minot, "you were determined to marry his lordship?"
"I should hardly put it that way. But—I intended to."
"Yes. Then you changed your mind. Why?"
"I changed it because I found out about this ridiculous, this insulting policy."
"Then his lordship's taking out of the policy caused the calling off of the wedding?"
"Y—yes. Why?"
"It may interest you to know—and it may interest Lord Harrowby to recall—that five minutes before he took out this policy he signed an agreement to do everything in his power to bring about the wedding. And he further promised that if the wedding should be called off because of any subsequent act of his, he would forfeit the premium."
"By gad," said Lord Harrowby.
"The taking out of the policy was a subsequent act," continued Minot. "The premium, I fancy, is forfeited."