The young man was carefully dressed as usual in his rather affected way, but his face was pale and he seemed uneasy. "I see you have had a visit from Hale," he said, trying to appear at his ease. "How do you know that?" asked Mallow abruptly, and declining to see the proffered hand. "I saw Hale enter a cab as I came up the stairs," said Basil, drawing back; "and even had I not seen him I would know that he has been telling you a lot of lies because you refuse to shake hands." "Are they lies?" "Ah, then, he has been talking. He is my enemy. He comes here to do me harm," said Basil, his eyes flashing. "He came here as your friend," replied Mallow abruptly, "Hale wishes me to marry your sister. He offers to hand over to me a certain check if I marry her." "I don't know what you are talking about," cried Basil petulantly, and threw himself into a chair, very pale. "I think you know very well. Why have you come here?" Basil looked sullen. "I want you to marry Juliet also. And I came to say that I thought I could get my mother to take that money and to withdraw her opposition." "So that you may have the fingering of the money?" "Oh, I suppose she will give me some," said Basil airily, and began to roll a cigarette with deft fingers. Mallow was enraged at this coolness. "Basil, you are a scoundrel!" "Am I, indeed? Nice words to use to your future relative." "How do you know I will ever be your relative. Suppose I refuse Hale's demand, and let him proceed on this check?" Basil's cigarette dropped our of his hand. "I don't know what check you mean," he declared with alarm, "there was a bill--I couldn't help myself. My aunt--" "Gave you a lot of money and you repaid her by forging her name. But you also forged Hale's name." "Ah, I know what you mean now. It was only for fifty pounds." "Had it been for fifty pence the crime is the same," said Mallow vehemently, "why did you not let me help you? I offered to. But you preferred to commit a crime." "Such a fuss to make," muttered the youth discontentedly, "the bill is in the possession of Juliet, and no steps can be taken on that. If mother accepts this six thousand a year, she will buy the check back from Hale. He's a scoundrel and will do anything for money. Then you can marry Juliet, and I can go abroad for a few years on an income of three thousand. Mother will allow me that." The coolness of this speech almost took Mallow's breath away. The man did not seem to be at all affected by his crime. So long as he was not found out he appeared to think nothing about the matter. "And I know you will marry Juliet," proceeded Basil, "you love her too well to give her up." "That is true enough," said Cuthbert, who, having already spared him too long, now determined to punish him, "but I may love her so well that I may not wish to buy her." "What do you mean by buying her?" demanded Basil sulkily.