“What?”
“I didn’t like to tell you, but I let out to him about the gas and water and the rest of it, and next day he gave me all the receipts. It was one night after I’d dined with him at his club, and I was a bit primed. I thought it was very noble of him then, but when I saw it all I did nothing but curse and swear. It was nearly the death of a patient at Guy’s, for I forget what I was about. Hang it, Rich dear! don’t look so white as that.”
“I—I was wondering why we had not been troubled more,” she stammered; and then, with her face flushing, she turned fiercely upon her brother.
“Hendon,” she cried, “do you know what this means?”
There was utter silence, and Hendon Chartley turned his face away.
“I say, do you know what this means? Hendon, speak?”
“Yes.”
It was slowly and unwillingly said.
“And you have encouraged this man to make advances to the woman your best friend—almost your brother—loved?”
“Oh, Rich!”