"Dear me, dear me! I wish I hadn't spoken now. I'm sure it's nothing wrong. I think, very possibly, I have been mistaken." "John Bridgewater," said Miss Hancock, "you have known me from my childhood, you know I hate shuffling, come to the point--there is a lady--well, I have known it all along, so you need not be afraid to speak. Just tell me all you know. You are very well aware that no one cares for Mr James as much as I do. You are very well aware that some men _need_ protecting. You know very well there is no better-hearted man in the world than my brother." "None indeed." "And you know very well that he is just the man to fall a victim to a designing woman. Think for a moment. What would a woman see in a man of his age, except his money." "Very true; though I'm sure, Miss Patience, no man would make a better husband for a woman than Mr James." "Oh, don't talk nonsense! When a man arrives at his age, he is too old to be made into a husband, but he is not too old to be made into a fool. Now tell me all you know about this affair. First of all, what is the--person's name?" "The person I suspect, Miss Patience, though indeed my suspicions may be wrong, is a Miss Lambert." "Surely not any relation of the Highgate Lamberts?" "The daughter, Miss Patience." "_That_ broken-down lot! Good heavens! Are you _sure_?" "Perfectly sure." "The daughter of the man who is fighting with Mr Bevan about the fish pond?" "Stream." "It's the same. Well, go on." "Miss Fanny Lambert called some time ago on Mr James. She called in distress about the action. Mr James interviewed her, and discovered that her father was in a very bad way, financially speaking. He took pity on them----" "Idiot!" "----and called at Highgate to see Mr Lambert. He became very friendly with Mr Lambert. Then Miss Fanny Lambert called again." "What about?" "I don't know. And to-day, this morning, she called again." "Called at the office this morning?" "Yes." "What did she call for?" Bridgewater was silent. "I repeat," said Miss Hancock, speaking as an examiner might speak to a candidate, "I repeat, what did she call for? You surely must have some inkling." "I am afraid she called about nothing. I'm afraid so, very much afraid so." "What _do_ you mean?" "I'm afraid, Miss Patience, it was an assignation." "How long did she stay?" "About twenty minutes; but that is not the worst." "Go on." "They went out together." "How long was my brother out with her?" "He hasn't come back; he has gone for the day--told me to take charge of the office." "You mean they went out together like that and you did not follow them to see where they went?" "Yes." "Oh, you _idiot_!" "How could I, Miss Patience?" "How could you--yes, that's just it. How could you, when you had such a chance, let it slip through your fingers?" "But the office?"