He stood with open mouth, staring at our hero, as if panic-stricken by his sudden appearance.
"Where did you come from?" he asked, amazement prevailing over every other sensation.
"From the next room, where I heard your contemptible attempt to extort money from my mother."
At another time Stephen would have resented this speech, but now he was anxious to find out what had happened to his friend, and how Paul had managed to escape the snare that had been so carefully laid for him.
"How long have you been at home?" he asked.
"I got home at the usual time. What makes you ask?"
"Did anything happen to-day?" asked Stephen.
Foolishly he was betraying himself, and Paul saw clearly that he knew of the plot, even if he were not concerned in it.
He resolved that Stephen should betray himself yet further.
"What should happen?" he asked.