“That is my affair.”

“That is no answer.” Mrs. Ward shrugged her shoulders disdainfully.

“Then shall I say,” the butler leaned closer, “shall I say that that man’s jack-in-the-box presence in this house is for you a menace?”

Mrs. Ward’s laugh did not ring quite true.

“Since you must know——” She commenced, and paused to glance over her shoulder.

“Yes.” Jones came nearer. “What?”

“That man you call ‘jack-in-the-box’——”

“The taxi-driver,” prompted Jones. “Go on, woman!”

“That man——” the loud buzzing of the front door bell interrupted her. “Answer the bell.”

“Yes, yes, in a moment.” Jones came yet nearer. “The taxi-driver—who is he?”