Do you know, it was as much as I could do to prevail on him to meet Sir Appleton at all! This _menace_ was preying on his nerves; this pitiless hail of appealing letters from his "heart-broken Molly". One day he came in looking as if he had seen a ghost. This girl had dared to call for him at his club! I am thankful to say that he kept his head and refused resolutely to see her, but we never imagined that she was in London... And we both knew that we should now never be safe even in our own house. She had not dared to face _me_; perhaps she made a good guess what kind of reception I should feel it my duty to give her; she was clever enough to know that a woman would see through her in a moment... But she would make for Will the moment she thought my back was turned... It was then that I gave those orders to the servants. There had been one or two cases in the papers, you may remember, of people who called on chance and walked off with whatever they could lay their hands on. I made this the text for my little homily. And it was not a moment too soon! The girl called that same afternoon and asked to see my boy... She called daily, refusing to take "no" for an answer. Mr. William Spenworth not at home? When _would_ he be home? ... But for this dinner to Sir Appleton, I should have insisted on sending Will _right_ away, but I _had_ to hold my hand until the Chinese appointment had been arranged. The servants were instructed to say that they did not know... And, after that, I knew it was only a question of time before she encamped on the pavement at sunrise and _stayed_ there... Can you imagine a more intolerable situation? Always having to peep round the curtain to see whether it was safe to _venture_ into the street? One day she forced her way into the house. It was the afternoon before Sir Appleton came to dine; and Will, who had been sleeping--on my suggestion--at his club, arrived in time to dress. Hardly had the door shut behind him when this girl (you would have thought she had more pride!) rang the bell and put her unvarying question. Mr. William Spenworth was not at home. Oh, but he _was_! She had just seen him come in! (An altercation with a servant on some one else's door-step!) Norden behaved with perfect discretion, asking her to take a seat while he made enquiries. After a moment he returned to say--once more--that Mr. William was not at home. The girl, from his account, was in two minds whether to search the house, but at last she consented to go. I am not a nervous woman, as you are aware, but I was _thoroughly_ upset. A worse prelude to a _momentous_ meeting could hardly be imagined. Will was quite unstrung by the persecution; and, though I never encourage him to drink between meals, I said nothing when he helped himself to brandy. He needed it... "Son of mine, we must _rally_," I said. "She _must_ see, after this--" "I shall go off my head if this goes on any longer," he said.