'I don't in the least understand you. Will you please be so good as to make yourself quite clear.'
He made himself as clear as he could, though he did not find it easy. Nor was his explanation well received.
'Then am I to gather that you have come to me at midnight, hot-foot from Africa, in order to get from me--a ring; a ruby ring?'
'It doesn't sound very nice, but that's the plain truth of it.'
'It's very flattering.'
'Very!'
The chorus came from Mr Dumville, and was accompanied by a glare.
'I can only throw myself upon your mercy, Miss Bewicke, and implore you to let me have this ring to save my inheritance.'
Miss Bewicke resumed her knife and fork, which had all this time been lying idle. There was a change in her manner, which, though subtle, was well defined to Mr Holland's consciousness.
'By the way, Mr Holland, the other day I heard your name associated with a person called, I think, Broad. Was it merely idle gossip, or do you know anything of a person with a name like that?'