She looked at him quickly, and then back into a shop window. "To the Carlton, if you please," she said coldly. They walked to the corner of the street and stood waiting while the brougham came round to them. She turned toward a florist's and looked into the window. "You would like some more flowers?" he asked. She led him into the shop without a word. There was a cluster of red roses over which she bent and selected one. "I should like this, please," she said. "One only, madam?" the shopman asked. "One only," she answered composedly. "I will pin it in here if you will cut the stalk a little," she added, removing a brooch from the bosom of her gown. "Will you pay for this, please?" she added, turning to Deane. He was taken aback for a moment. "You are sure that there is nothing else?" he asked. "Nothing," she answered. They left the shop and he handed her into the brougham. Deane was suddenly conscious that his pulse was beating a little faster, even though her fingers had lain in his absolutely unresponsive. He was wondering what sort of a whim it was which had led her to desire that one flower. CHAPTER XV A FRIEND A man in the city, who was an old friend of Lord Nunneley, stopped the latter as he was on the point of entering his club. "By the bye, Nunneley," he said, "did I understand--I think I saw it in the papers--that the marriage between your daughter and Stirling Deane was off?" "The engagement has been broken off," answered Lord Nunneley, a little stiffly. "Why?" "That's all right," said the man. "The only thing was that as I was one of the people you came to, to ask about Deane, I felt that if it was still on I ought to tell you that things aren't supposed to be just the same as they were." "Do you mean about Deane?" asked Lord Nunneley. His friend nodded. "There are some very curious rumors going about," he said. "You remember, of course, his charging a man named Hefferom--a South African--with an attempt at blackmail the other day? The man was committed for trial, and there was not much came out in the evidence before the magistrates. Since then, however, people have been talking. They say that Hefferom had actual knowledge of documents proving that Deane's title to the Little Anna Gold-Mine was a false one, and that the mine in reality belonged to Hefferom himself and a partner." "That sounds like a very curious story," Lord Nunneley remarked. "If it is true, why doesn't Hefferom produce his document and have done with it?" "Because it has been stolen," the other answered. "There are all sorts of stories going about, too, concerning the theft. The point remains, however, that there is a strong feeling that the document in question does exist, and that it may turn up. If so, of course, it would ruin Deane. I see that the shares of his corporation have had a most tremendous drop, so it seems as though there might be something in it. Buy a special edition this afternoon, and you'll know more about it."