_Barlow._ Well, perhaps I do; but I've nothing to conceal, and you have. You've been behaving in a most incomprehensible fashion this afternoon, as if you owned the house. _Yardsley._ Well, what of it? Do you own it? _Barlow._ No, I don't, but-- _Yardsley._ But you hope to. Well, I have no such mercenary motive. I'm not after the house. _Barlow_ (_bristling up_). After the house? Mercenary motive? I demand an explanation of those words. What do you mean? _Yardsley._ I mean this, Jack Barlow: I mean that I am here for--for my own reasons; but you--you have come here for the purpose of-- [_DOROTHY enters with a tray, upon which are the tea things._ _Barlow_ (_about to retort to YARDSLEY, perceiving DOROTHY_). Ah! Let me assist you. _Dorothy._ Thank you so much. I really believe I never needed help more. (_She delivers the tray to BARLOW, who sets it on the table. DOROTHY, exhausted, drops into a chair._) Fan me--quick--or I shall faint. I've--I've had an awful time, and I really don't know what to do! _Barlow_ and _Yardsley_ (_together_). Why, what's the matter? _Yardsley._ I hope the house isn't on fire? _Barlow._ Or that you haven't been robbed? _Dorothy._ No, no; nothing like that. It's--it's about Jennie. _Yardsley_ (_nervously_). Jennie? Wha--wha--what's the matter with Jennie? _Dorothy._ I only wish I knew. I-- _Yardsley_ (_aside_). I'm glad you don't. _Barlow._ What say? _Yardsley._ I didn't say anything. Why should I say anything? I haven't anything to say. If people who had nothing to say would not insist upon talking, you'd be-- _Dorothy._ I heard the poor girl weeping down-stairs, and when I went to the dumb-waiter to ask her what was the matter, I heard--I heard a man's voice. _Yardsley._ Man's voice? _Barlow._ Man's voice is what Miss Andrews said. _Dorothy._ Yes; it was Hicks, our coachman, and he was dreadfully angry about something. _Yardsley_ (_sinking into chair_). Good Lord! Hicks! Angry! At--something! _Dorothy._ He was threatening to kill somebody. _Yardsley._ This grows worse and worse! Threatening to kill somebody! D-did-did you o-over-overhear huh-huh-whom he was going to kuk-kill? _Barlow._ What's the matter with you, Yardsley? Are you going to die of fright, or have you suddenly caught a chill? _Dorothy._ Oh, I hope not! Don't die here, anyhow, Mr. Yardsley. If you must die, please go home and die. I couldn't stand another shock to-day. Why, really, I was nearly frightened to death. I don't know now but what I ought to send for the police, Hicks was so violent. _Barlow._ Perhaps she and Hicks have had a lovers' quarrel. _Yardsley._ Very likely; very likely, indeed. I think that is no doubt the explanation of the whole trouble. Lovers will quarrel. They were engaged, you know. _Dorothy_ (_surprised_). No, I didn't know it. Were they? Who told you? _Yardsley_ (_discovering his mistake_). Why--er--wasn't it you said so, Miss Dorothy? Or you, Barlow?