He was drawing her nearer and nearer, his eyes, like coals of fire, fascinated her to a queer listlessness that was almost quiescence. She found no reserve to combat him, and could only stare helplessly at the hard face---- There was a knock at the door. He pushed her aside, his face convulsed with rage. “Who is that?” he asked harshly, and the voice of the maid replied: “Mr. Richard Alford to see you, sir!” XIV Dick Alford, waiting in the pretty drawing-room and wondering exactly how he should introduce what promised to be a very unpleasant discussion, saw the door flung open and a white-faced girl ran in. “Oh, Dick, Dick!” she sobbed. In a moment she was in his arms, her face against his breast. “For God’s sake, what has happened? How did you come here?” he asked, bewildered. Before she could reply, the big figure of Fabrian Gilder filled the doorway. The man did not speak, but the smouldering rage in his eyes was eloquent. “Well, what do you want?” he boomed. Dick put the girl gently from him. “Why are you here, Leslie?” “Arthur brought me,” she gasped. “I’m awfully sorry to make such a fool of myself, but----” Dick looked from the girl to the man in the doorway and began dimly to understand. “Arthur brought you here?” he said slowly. “And left you alone--with this man?” She nodded. “Is he a friend of yours?” She shook her head. “I only met him to-day.” Gradually the explanation of her distress was beginning to dawn upon him, and a cold rage filled his heart. An unfortunate moment for Arthur Gwyn to return. Dick heard the tinkle of a bell, quick footsteps in the hall, and saw the white face of the lawyer, made hideous by the smile he forced. “Hullo, old girl! What’s the trouble?” he asked. He did not look at his host: this Dick noticed with gathering fury. “I think you had better take Leslie home,” he said. “I have a little business to do with Mr. Gilder.” Gilder had recovered something of his command of himself and his feelings; the situation, awkward as it was, had brought him violently into the circle about which so far he had revolved. It were better to be considered as an undesirable suitor than to be denied consideration as a factor at all in Leslie Gwyn’s life. “May I ask by what right you dispose of my guests?” he demanded, but Dick took no notice of him. “Look after your sister, Gwyn,” he said, and there was a scarcely veiled menace in the words. “I will give myself the pleasure of calling on you this evening.” He took the girl’s hand in his; she was still white and shaking, but smiled into his face. “I’ve made myself rather ridiculous, haven’t I?” she said, in a low tone that only he could hear. “Dicky--perhaps I’m getting a little jumpy, and I may have taken offence----” He patted her hand gently and walked with her past Gilder into the hall, Arthur following. It was Dick who opened the door, and stood patiently until they had gone, then he turned to face the enraged owner of the flat.