'And he has to pawn things to live!' Her voice trembled. 'He was at the _mont-de-piete_ today. And yesterday too. I heard him. He was arguing with M. Gandinot--haggling--' Her voice broke. She was sobbing helplessly. The memory of it was too raw and vivid. Mr Warden stood motionless. Many emotions raced through his mind, but chief among them the thought that this revelation had come at a very fortunate time. An exceedingly lucky escape, he felt. He was aware, also, of a certain measure of indignation against this deceitful young man who had fraudulently imitated a gold-mine with what might have been disastrous results. The door opened and Jeanne, the maid-of-all-work, announced Mr Vince. He entered the room briskly. 'Good evening!' he said. 'I have brought you some more chocolates, Miss Warden, and some fruit. Great Scott! What's the matter?' He stopped, but only for an instant. The next he had darted across the room, and, before the horrified eyes of Mr Warden, was holding Ruth in his arms. She clung to him. Bill, the fox-terrier, over whom Mr Vince had happened to stumble, was the first to speak. Almost simultaneously Mr Warden joined in, and there was a striking similarity between the two voices, for Mr Warden, searching for words, emitted as a preliminary to them a sort of passionate yelp. Mr Vince removed the hand that was patting Ruth's shoulder and waved it reassuringly at him. 'It's all right,' he said. 'All right! All _right_!' 'Affinities,' explained Mr Vince over his shoulder. 'Two hearts that beat as one. We're going to be married. What's the matter, dear? Don't you worry; you're all right.' 'I refuse!' shouted Mr Warden. 'I absolutely refuse.' Mr Vince lowered Ruth gently into a chair and, holding her hand, inspected the fermenting old gentleman gravely. 'You refuse?' he said. 'Why, I thought you liked me.' Mr Warden's frenzy had cooled. It had been something foreign to his nature. He regretted it. These things had to be managed with restraint. 'My personal likes and dislikes,' he said, 'have nothing to do with the matter, Mr Vince. They are beside the point. I have my daughter to consider. I cannot allow her to marry a man without a penny.' 'Quite right,' said Mr Vince, approvingly. 'Don't have anything to do with the fellow. If he tries to butt in, send for the police.' Mr Warden hesitated. He had always been a little ashamed of Ruth's occupation. But necessity compelled. 'Mr Vince, my daughter is employed at the _mont-de-piete,_ and was a witness to all that took place this afternoon.' Mr Vince was genuinely agitated. He looked at Ruth, his face full of concern. 'You don't mean to say you have been slaving away in that stuffy--Great Scott! I'll have you out of that quick. You mustn't go there again.' He stooped and kissed her.