“The fact is,” he said, “I shouldn’t have been here to-day—I certainly shouldn’t be sitting smoking at this hour if I hadn’t wanted to talk to you.”
Gorman chuckled pleasantly. He felt that something interesting was coming.
“I’ve rather a queer case on hand,” said Dane-Latimer, “and some friends of yours are mixed up in it, at least I think I’m right in saying that that picturesque blackguard Konrad Karl of Megalia is a friend of yours.”
“I hope he’s not the co-respondent,” said Gorman.
“No. No. It’s nothing of that sort. In fact, strictly speaking, he’s not in it at all. No legal liability. The action threatened is against Madame Ypsilante.”
“Don’t say shop lifting,” said Gorman. “I’ve always been afraid she’s take to that sooner or later. Not that she’s a dishonest woman. Don’t think that. It’s simply that she can’t understand, is constitutionally incapable of seeing any reason why she shouldn’t have anything she wants.”
“You may make your mind easy,” said Dane-Latimer. “It’s not shop-lifting. In fact it isn’t anything that would be called really disgraceful.”
“That surprises me. I should hardly have thought Madame could have avoided—but go on.
“You know Scarsby?” said Dane-Latimer.
“I know a Mrs. Scarsby, a woman who advertises herself and her parties and pushes hard to get into the smartest set. She’s invited me to one of her shows next week. Very seldom does now, though I used to go there pretty often. She has rather soared lately, higher circles than those I move in.”