He was, Matheson learned on arrival from the youthful clerk, who seemed to do little beyond guard the inner sanctum and scan the daily news, engaged for the moment. Since no one emerged from the inner room while he waited, and no one was present when a few minutes later, in response to the ring of a bell, he was conducted by the clerk to the presence, the inference was that the engagement was telephonic. Holman was alone, seated at his desk. His hand fell from the receiver as the door opened and closed upon his visitor. He swung round on his swivel chair and welcomed Matheson cordially. "You never sent me any word," he said. "When did you arrive? I've been expecting you daily for the past week. You haven't hurried." He could not fail to notice the very obvious fact that his extended hand was ignored, nor that the cordiality of his manner received no response. He waved the neglected hand in the direction of a seat. "Sit down," he said, and crossed one leg over the other and regarded Matheson closely, fidgeting idly and with a suggestion of nervousness in the quick, uncertain movement of his fingers, with the pen on his blotting pad. "Now, let me hear all about it," he resumed. Matheson seated himself. "Well, in the first place," he said, leaning forward with his hands upon his knees, "I had better state at once that I know a good deal about this damnable business... not through the Kriges... there was a sort of conspiracy to keep me in the dark--Krige never talked to me. I learned what I know from Herman Nel. Nel called you a damned scoundrel... and I endorse his sentiments. Have you anything to say to that?" He paused. Holman ceased fidgeting with the pen and clenched his hand on the blotter and sat quite still, smiling faintly. "No. I don't see that any comment of mine would avail anything. Of course you don't expect me to applaud your opinion. Simply, I refuse to consider it. What you have learned from Herman Nel doesn't interest me either. Nel was never a recipient of my confidence. He knows nothing whatever about me." "You are mistaken; his knowledge is more complete than you imagine. It was from Nel I learned that you are German, and not a British subject as I supposed." "Did I ever assert that I was British?" Holman interrupted him to inquire. "Not to me. But I understood you were. You led me somehow, whether intentionally or not I can't say, to understand that. And you spell your name in the English way, and sign the double n only when you correspond with your Dutch friends. I saw that in your letter to Krige." "So you read the letter I entrusted to your safe keeping?" Holman said with a flash of anger. "Then it was a lie when you said you couldn't read Dutch?"