"Had not we better see those men," asked Mr. Forde of his friend.
"Well, yes," agreed Mr. Kleinwort.
"Shall I tell them to come to you," asked Mrs. Mortomley, but Mr. Forde put her aside.
"I will go and find them myself," he answered, evidently under the impression they were apocryphal creatures conjured up for the occasion.
Mrs. Mortomley sat down again. For five minutes—five blessed minutes she imagined Messrs. Forde and Kleinwort were going to pay out the men, and rid Homewood of their presence. Then romance gave way to reality, and she heard Mr. Kleinwort ask,
"Well, what is your say now?"
"Stop," answered Mr. Forde, drawing on his gloves.
"You say that?"
"Yes, but," turning to Mrs. Mortomley, "your lawyer must not take the order out; ours shall. There is no objection, I suppose?"