“What’s the trouble?” Storm asked perfunctorily as they entered the little restaurant and made for a corner table. Millard did not reply until the waiter had taken their order and departed. Then he leaned confidentially across the table.
“It’s all about the scoundrel, Du Chainat,” he began. “You remember him; chap I introduced to you in the Rochefoucauld. By Jove, I owe you an apology for that!”
“Not at all.” A hidden thought made Storm’s lips curl in grim humor. “We are all of us apt to be mistaken in the people we think we know.”
“That’s what I say!” corroborated Millard eagerly. “How’re you going to tell a crook nowadays? The fellow took me in absolutely! And now, to hear Mrs. M. talk you would think I had been in league with him!”
“You tried to get her to go into one of his schemes, didn’t you?” Storm asked. The other nodded gloomily.
“I did, and I shall never be permitted to hear the last of it!” he observed. “That isn’t what is worrying me, though. You see, I introduced him around pretty generally, and if any of my friends fell for his graft I should feel personally responsible. There you are, for instance; that’s what I wanted to see you about, Storm; I hope to the Lord that you didn’t——”
“Not by a damn sight!” Storm retorted savagely. Was he to go through a repetition of the scene with Langhorne? “What do you take me for? I’m not looking to line the pockets of every adventurer that comes along.”
Millard winced.
“All right, old chap, only I was anxious. You seemed interested that night.”
“I was, in the man himself; he was a new type to me, but I don’t mind telling you now that I didn’t trust him.” Storm smiled patronizingly. “I don’t wonder his little proposition looked good to you. It did to me; too good. Money isn’t so scarce for a legitimate deal that a man has to offer one hundred per cent profit in three months. You would have realized that yourself if you had stopped to think. The trouble with you was that the man’s personality blinded you, Millard. I’ll admit that he was a plausible rascal, but if anyone had been fool enough to fall for his game they deserved what was coming to them.”