"Why, that's very kind of you," returned Keith, puzzled.
"Not a bit! The way I looked at it was that a chap wouldn't borrow from a man he wasn't friendly with, it isn't done." He laughed his high, cackling laugh, "So I said to Mimi, 'the dear man must be worryin' his head off.' It was lucky for you, old top, that a woman of the world with some sense saw you the other night instead of some feather-headed gossipin' fool. But Mimi's not that."
Keith was slowly beginning to suspect, but as yet he considered his suspicion unjust.
"How much do you need?" he asked,
"Five hundred dollars," replied Morrell coolly.
"I doubt I have that sum free in ready cash."
Morrell looked him in the eye.
"I fancy you will be able to raise it," he said very deliberately.
The men looked at each other.
"This is blackmail, then," said Keith without excitement.