She laughed, exhibiting a row of white teeth.
“Certainly not; not until this moment was I even of the existence of Mr. Jack Keith.”
His own eyes smiled in response to the challenge of hers.
“I can assure you the surprise was mine also,” he hastened to inform her, now more at ease, as he grasped the situation. “I could not understand how I had become known to you, yet I pledge you my word the message was actually brought. Of course you may suspicion otherwise, for I have seen you on the stage, and being a normal man, have wished that I could devise some excuse for meeting you.”
“Indeed!” her eye-brows slightly uplifted.
“Yes, I make that confession frankly, yet this call comes from no such desire. I had no question when I came, but what I had been sent for—you will believe this?”
“I suppose I must, yet it seems very peculiar,” she replied, feeling convinced that he was a gentleman, and troubled as to what she had best do. “Yet now that you have discovered your mistake—”
“I hope to take advantage of the opportunity,” he broke in firmly, leaning slightly forward. “May I ask you a question?”
“I could hardly prevent it, and really I do not know that I have anything to conceal.”
“Then I will risk the effort—do you know a man named Hawley?—Bartlett Hawley?”