"Not under the pretence that you are a wealthy man."
"How do you know?" asked Mr. Monk, smiling politely, "that I am not a wealthy man, Mr. Vance?"
"Pshaw, man!" I rejoined heatedly, for his cool insolence was getting on my nerves. "You have a life interest in five hundred a year and a tumbledown house with a few acres of land at Burwain."
"So far as you know, Mr. Vance, those are all my possessions, but when we reach my rooms," he leaned forward and peered through the misty glass, "we are nearly there now, I am glad to say, you will have an explanation which will astonish you. Had you recognized me when at Lady Denham's----"
"I did recognize you."
"Had you denounced me, I should have said," he went on pleasantly, "I should have made the explanation then and there."
"Ah!" said I meaningly, "I thought my chance mention of Cannington's name at Burwain forearmed you."
He nodded, and chuckled in his infernally oily manner. "It was just possible, seeing that Lord Cannington and Lady Mabel, to say nothing of Lady Denham, were our mutual friends, that we might meet, so I made ready. I certainly did not expect to meet you quite so soon, however. Tell me," he glanced sideways at me curiously, "why did you not address me by my real name?"
"I remembered that you were Gertrude's father."
"How lucky--for me," said Mr. Monk sarcastically. "Julia Destiny hinted that you were in love with my daughter."