"Why?" she faltered, at a loss for words.
"Such defence as yours implies some suspicion."
"Why so?"
"Because it was wholly unprovoked."
"Loyd," the lady exclaimed, "you dislike Colston!"
"Why should I?"
"Do you not?"
"No! He is almost a stranger to me; I am not called upon either to like or dislike him. I do not belong to his sphere in life; he has simply crossed mine as a thousand and one persons meet me professionally and part, never to meet again."
"But you are likely to meet him frequently in the future."
"I think not. I confess that I am not so completely indifferent to his welfare as to hope he might some day have need of my services, which would be the only opportunity we could have of meeting."