"Uninvited," she said. "You have taken a liberty--"

"Oh, you!" he shouted suddenly. "You're a fine one to ride the high
horse with me! Who the dickens are you to give yourself airs? You can
stow that, do you hear?" His eyes flashed unpleasantly. "You can stow
that kind of talk with me!"

"You came here believing, I suppose, that I was practically friendless.
You knew that I had no relatives, especially men relatives, so you
thought you would come to continue your annoyance of me. Would you mind
coming here?"

He went to the window wonderingly. The window commanded a wide view of
the garden. Looking out into the garden he could see a man, a very tall
and very broad young man, who stood with muscular arms folded across a
great chest. The young man was leaning against an old rose-red brick
wall, smoking a pipe and obviously waiting. The most noticeable thing
about the young man was that he was exceptionally big and of powerful
build and determined appearance. Another thing that Slotman noticed
about him was that he was not Mr. Hugh Alston, whom he remembered
perfectly.

"Well?"

"That gentleman is a friend of mine, related to the lady who lives with
me. If I call on him and ask him to persuade you to go and not return,
he will do so."

"Oh, he will, and what then?"