"It is needlessly clear to me, Mr. Hammond."
"But not to me. In the first place——"
"I will not trouble you——"
"It is no trouble. In the first place, has that fellow followed you, spoken to you before?"
"Never—never like that."
She wondered whether he had noticed her unsuccessful effort to rise and put an end to the interview.
"Do you know who he is?"
"He is the junior member of the firm I work for."
"What! Well, I am glad I smashed him." Then he added quickly, "This, of course, puts an end to your going there, at once. You've been at it too long anyway. It's stopped being a joke, and as a pose——"
"'Pose.'"