“I met her in Paris. She was introduced to me after the opera,” said Sir Ralph patiently; “as a matter of fact, I forgot all about it until she reminded me of the fact.” “Ah, this is where the story begins,” said Michael; “when did she remind you of the fact?” Sir Ralph detailed briefly the unconventional character of the meeting. “I see,” said Michael, “her car had broken down providentially just outside your house. Beautiful and most gorgeously arrayed, how could you resist her pathetic appeal? And so that is how you met her, is it? Oh, Kate, Kate!” he shook his head. “Kate!” asked the bewildered magnate. “What on earth are you talking about?” Michael took no notice of the question. “I must ask you to give me a more detailed account of your meetings. Of course, you met her afterwards.” “Yes, I met her. And she was very charming,” said Sir Ralph. “And particularly interested in business?” asked Michael. “No, she did not know much about business. There you are wrong. You are trying to prove that she is an adventuress. She knew nothing whatever about business,” said Sir Ralph triumphantly; “in fact, I had to explain things over and over again.” Michael leant over and patted his arm as he might have done to a distraught child. “What things did you explain, little man?” he asked. Here, however, he lost the trail for, either because he could not or would not remember, Sir Ralph was very vague at this point. Michael sat at his desk, his head between his hands thinking rapidly. First Flanborough, then Boltover, and now Ralph Sapson,--what was the association? “Have you any business dealings with Flanborough?” he asked. “What do you mean?” asked Ralph cautiously. “Is there any connection between your companies?” “My dear chap, what a question to ask,” said Sir Ralph. “You know, as well as I, that all business people, who operate on a big scale, are associated in some way or other. I run railways and quarries and things, and Flanborough runs ships and gold mines. I am interested in his things and he has shares in mine.” Being a business man he did not tell Michael of the arrangement which he had entered into for the benefit of the unthriving port of Seahampton, because it is the way of business men to be mysterious and uninforming about the commonplaces of commercial intercourse. “Well, that’s that,” said Ralph after waiting in vain for some illuminating observation from his friend. “And what is the other matter?” Here Sir Ralph found it more difficult to make a beginning. “It is rather a delicate subject, Michael,” he said, “for it touches my personal honour.” “Dear, dear,” said Michael sympathetically, and, if the truth be told, a little mechanically, because his mind was occupied elsewhere with a greater and more important problem, than with the personal honour of the Sapsons.