"Friendship—friendship as distinguished from acquaintanceship."
"If you mean, am I an acquaintance rather than a friend of Sir Edward Parkington, I should say, yes."
"Then you have no objection, if I speak plainly?"
"None whatever," said Maynadier. "I am not his sponsor, and neither am I responsible for what you say."
Herford nodded. "Did it ever strike you that there is something queer about him?" he asked.
"No, it did not. On the contrary, I think that he is possessed of faculties far above the ordinary."
"I expressed myself poorly," said Herford. "I meant that he is not what he seems."
Maynadier was silent.
"There is something about him which raises a doubt," Herford went on.