They gained them uninterrupted. Aylmer made a sign towards a chair. Landon, after an expressive glance towards the Tantalus on the sideboard, sat down. Aylmer did not take the hint; he was in no mood to offer hospitality to this man, even to the inconsiderable extent of a whisky and soda. He looked at Landon. "Well?" he demanded curtly. Landon gave another look towards the sideboard. "I've hinted once," he said, with a laugh which he tried to make genial and offhand. "This time I'll ask bluntly for it." "For what?" There was no encouragement in Aylmer's voice, and his eyes were hard and unrelenting. "For a drink." Aylmer shook his head. "Suppose I hear your statement first," he suggested. "Then you can have a drink here, or elsewhere." Landon rose to his feet with a dramatic jerk. He turned abruptly towards the door. "That's enough, by God! that's enough!" he swore savagely. "I've taken your insolence once; I'll not take it again. I'm not fit to be offered a drink in your rooms; I'm to sit like some damned flunkey giving his character while you cross-examine me. I'll see you on the far side of Hell first." He reached the door, halted, and stood with hand on it, looking round. "You'll be sorry for this," he said. "I tell you that, when the truth of it comes to be known, as it'll be known some day, you'll be sorry for it." Aylmer looked at him with a steady contemplation which showed no signs of clemency. Landon flung open the door and passed out. "Cursed prig!" he snapped and descended the stairs into the street. Aylmer, with a slight shrug of the shoulders, turned towards his dressing-room. Ten minutes later Landon was enjoying his drink in Mr. Miller's pleasantly furnished apartments. His host had supplied it this time without any demur--with alacrity. He watched his guest dispose of it and hastened to offer another. This, too, disappeared down Landon's throat and a third was placed solicitously at his elbow. Not till these arrangements had been completed did Mr. Miller smirch his hospitality with any hint of business. But though he differed from Aylmer in this, he imitated him in the directness of his _pour-parlers_. He, indeed, used the same monosyllable. "Well?" he said inquiringly. Landon nodded with much satisfaction.