Nesta's anger cooled down under that scarcely veiled threat. The sight of Pratt, of his self-assurance, his comfortable offices, his general atmosphere of almost sleek satisfaction, had roused her temper, already strained to breaking point. But that smile, and the quiet look which accompanied his last words, warned her that anger was mere foolishness, and that she was in the presence of a man who would have to be dealt with calmly if the dealings were to be successful. Yet--she repeated her words, but this time in a different tone. "I shall certainly go to the police authorities," she said, "unless I get some proper explanation from you. I shall have no option. You are forcing--or have forced--my mother to enter into some strange arrangements with you, and I can't think it is for anything but what I say--blackmail. You've got--or you think you've got--some hold on her. Now what is it? I mean to know, one way or another!" "Miss Mallathorpe," said Pratt. "You're taking a wrong course--with me. Now who advised you to come here and speak to me like this, as if I were a common criminal? Mr. Collingwood, no doubt? Or perhaps Mr. Robson? Now if either----" "Neither Mr. Robson nor Mr. Collingwood know anything whatever about my coming here!" retorted Nesta. "No one knows! I am quite competent to manage my own affairs--of this sort. I want to know why my mother has been forced into that arrangement with you--for I am sure you have forced her! If you will not tell me why--then I shall do what I said." "You'll go to the police authorities?" asked Pratt. "Ah!--but let us consider things a little, Miss Mallathorpe. Now, to start with, who says there has been any forcing? I know one person who won't say so--and that's your mother herself!" Nesta felt unable to answer that assertion. And Pratt smiled triumphantly and went on. "She'll tell you--Mrs. Mallathorpe'll tell you--that she's very pleased indeed to have my poor services," he said. "She knows that I shall serve her well. She's glad to do a kind service to a poor relation. And since I am your mother's relation, Miss Mallathorpe, I'm yours, too. I'm some degree of cousin to you. You might think rather better, rather more kindly, of me!" "Are you going to tell me anything more than that?" asked Nesta steadily. Pratt shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands. "What more can I tell?" he asked. "The fact is, there's a business arrangement between me and your mother--and you object to it. Well--I'm sorry, but I've my own interests to consider." "Are you going to tell me what it was that induced my mother to sign that paper you got from her the other day?" asked Nesta. "Can I say more than that it was--a business arrangement?" pleaded Pratt. "There's nothing unusual in one party in a business arrangement giving a power of attorney to another party. Nothing!"