"What does this mean, Miss Nell? I thought you weren't going to have anything more to do with that man." "Well, I haven't. That is, not--not until he came on last month to see about the play." "What play?" "'Phantom Love.'" "But why did you have to see him?" "Because I am to be in the play." "Not in _his_ play?" "No more his than Papa Claude's." Quin's face darkened. "I saw him for only a few minutes," Eleanor went on, "and Papa Claude was with us. I give you my word, Quin, I've never spoken to him alone, or answered one of his letters." "Then he has been writing to you? What business has he got worrying you with letters and flowers when you have told him you are through with him?" In spite of his effort to keep calm, there was a rising note of anger in his voice. "He is not worrying me," said Eleanor, evidently conscious of her weakness in admitting Harold at the window of friendship when she had banished him from the door of love. "He understands perfectly that everything is over between us. But it would be silly for us to refuse to speak to each other when we shall necessarily be thrown together a lot." "Thrown together? How do you mean?" "At rehearsals." "Do you mean he is to be here in New York?" "Yes--after next month. He has given up his position in Chicago, so he can devote all the time to the play. You see, he not only helped to write it, but he is financing it." "So he is the--backer?" Quin was scarcely responsible for what he said, so suddenly had disaster trodden on the heels of ecstasy. "He is Papa Claude's partner and producer," said Eleanor with dignity. "If I don't care anything for him, I don't see what harm there is in seeing him." "Not liking whisky won't keep it from going to your head," said Quin stubbornly. "That's perfect nonsense; and besides, what can I do? It's his play as well as ours. I can't ask him to stay away from rehearsals." "No; but you can stay away yourself. You don't have to be in this play. Something else will turn up. You can afford to wait." "But that's just the point--I can't! And, besides, think how silly and childish it would be for me to refuse a wonderful chance for a professional debut that might not come again in years." "But don't you see, Miss Nell, you are in honor bound not to go on with this?" "Honor bound? How do you mean?" "Why, to Queen Vic." "I agreed to break my engagement with Harold Phipps and not to answer any of his letters. I've kept my promise." "Yes; but I thought, and I made her think, that you agreed not to see him or have anything to do with him for six months." "Well, the time will be up in six weeks." "Lots can happen in six weeks." If Quin had been wise he would have taken another tack; but, in his earnest effort to make her see her duty to Madam, he failed to press his own more personal claims, and thus lost his one chance of reaching her.