"I just dropped in."
"Alone?"
"Yes."
He had burned the bridges behind him and was lying glibly. Why bring Bromfield into it? She was going to marry him in a few days. If her fiancé was man enough to come forward and tell the truth he would do so anyhow. It was up to him. Clay was not going to betray him to Beatrice.
"The paper says there was some one with you."
"Sho! Reporters sure enough have lively imaginations."
"Johnnie told me you had an engagement with Mr. Bromfield."
"Did you ever know Johnnie get anything right?"
"And Clarendon says he was with you at Maddock's."
Clay had not been prepared for this cumulative evidence. He gave a low laugh of relief. "I'm an awful poor liar. So Bromfield says he was with me, does he?"