Mr. Drayton might suffer deeply but he never could look miserable; we associate unhappiness with pallor, depressed muscles round the mouth, and drooping eyelids, and he had a rosy and somewhat beaming face, very round, wide-opened eyes, inclined to stare, and a large mouth wearing a perpetual expression of satisfaction. When the two men confronted each other, Mr. Sandford, whose brow was ruffled with care, and who looked as though he had not slept, could not utter the conventional welcome, he could not speak. Mrs. Dorriman, seeing something unusual, went to his side in fear, and her little, feeble, spasmodic greeting saved both men from a very awkward silence. "Well," said Mr. Drayton, pleasantly, "and how are the young ladies? how is Miss Margaret?" A deep, red flush mounted into Mr. Sandford's face, he turned hurriedly to his sister. "Leave us," he said, shortly, and she, trembling, obeyed. "Drayton," he said, in a tone that betrayed effort and agitation, "I had no opportunity of speaking. I intended to keep my word at any cost to myself, but it has been impossible." "Really," said Mr. Drayton, scornfully. "Well, let me see Miss Margaret and plead my cause with her; let me tell her----what I must tell her in order that she may understand." "You cannot see her; she is not here." "Not here! What do you mean? What foul trick have you played me?" "I have played you no trick and you need not bluster and take that tone!" answered Mr. Sandford, angrily, his temper rising. "I have your promise, in words, over and over again, in writing also; I insist on knowing how it all came about. You must have done your spiriting very ungently, perhaps said something unfavourable of me. I declare to you I cannot trust you." "I never mentioned your name. Grace sent me nearly mad and I said something to her about leaving the house, then Margaret went with her." "Is this the truth?" "It is the truth." "And her leaving this house had nothing to do with me?" "Nothing whatever." Mr. Drayton felt that, so far, all was well, but he would not betray any satisfaction to the man before him. "Those investments I followed your advice about have brought me a loss," he said, after a pause, watching Mr. Sandford's face keenly. "A loss?" "Not in money; but my manager has given up his place, and his going is a serious loss. You are really the cause of his departure. He does not believe in you to the same extent other people do. I am sorry, but is there not a proverb about good fish being still in the sea? He was a good man but a trifle too cautious, yes, much too cautious! Well, as Miss Margaret is not here I shall go back." Mr. Sandford heard this and was uneasy. He knew quite well that Mr. Drayton had no business capacity, and it came home to him very clearly that now that man's influence was withdrawn other people might find the way to his pocket as easily as he had done, when Margaret was in the background.