It was because Denver had followed Sir William, having injured the tire of his car in order to bring him to a standstill, and because he had then discovered Gerard in the baronet’s company, and the family understood him to be on the side of the enemy. He was careful, however, to give no hint of what he knew to Arthur when he was thus accused of siding with the baronet. “Surprised to see me, are they?” said he. “Do you mean that they wish me to withdraw?” “No, no, oh no, of course not,” said Arthur hastily. “But they want to understand how it is that you have changed your mind about that? And whether you have seen Sir William since?” Gerard perceived that Cora had sent her obedient slave, Arthur, to try to “pump” him as to his position and intentions. It was part of the general uneasiness that he had noticed that they wanted to know precisely the attitude taken up by each of their visitors. And Gerard knew that he was especially under observation, on account of his known admiration for Miss Davison and Denver’s possible jealousy, as well as because he was now known to have been the cause of the miscarriage of Denver’s projected attack upon Sir William. Although neither he nor the baronet could have sworn to the identity of the figure, which had shadowed them and which they had then pursued, with Denver Van Santen, or of the fact that he had been armed, there was very little doubt in the minds of either upon those points. Knowing that his answer would be faithfully reported, Gerard answered with caution-- “Seen Sir William! Oh yes, I went up to town with him last Sunday. We started in his car, but had a breakdown and went back by train.” “And did you persuade him to think better of his disgraceful conduct?” “I persuaded him--or rather, I helped to persuade him--to write an apology to Mrs. Van Santen.” “And you quite see that he made a fool of himself?” Gerard hesitated. “I don’t think his conduct was very wise,” he admitted at last. “Or that he was justified in bringing such an accusation?” “I think, if he thought what he did, it would have been better to talk things over with his own friends before making a scene.” This answer was not at all what Arthur wanted. It made him uneasy. “Surely you don’t think there was anything in it? I can’t think you would be here to-day if you had thought there was!” “Well, we needn’t discuss that now. It’s a subject we should be bound to get warm over, whatever we thought, isn’t it?” said he soothingly. “It certainly makes me warm to hear a doubt cast upon my friends.” “No doubt has been cast on anybody by me,” replied Gerard quickly. “If they want to know, you can tell them so.” Arthur went away, evidently not quite satisfied, and Gerard strolled through the adjoining room into the card-room at the end of the suite. There had been changes in the position of affairs during the short interval since he left Miss Davison conversing with Denver in the middle room.