'She must be brought to dislike me, I mean. In this matter I must ask
you to help me.' I took a ten-shilling note from my pocket. 'If, from
time to time, you will talk to Miss Warrington of my many faults--you
can invent what you like----'

'Shan't need to invent much in the way o' faults,' put in the monstrous
girl. 'But it's my belief she likes you for 'em. Some women are made
like that. Anyway,' she handed me back the note which I had
endeavoured to press into her warm, moist palm. 'I'm not wantin' this.
I'm not goin' to take blood money to 'elp to break any woman's 'eart.'

It sounded really terrible viewed in that light. 'There is no need for
you to put it in that coarse way,' I said, my temper rising. 'I only
ask you to help me to regain my peace of mind and secure Miss
Warrington's happiness.'

'Well, if you put it like that o' course,' she said, her fingers
closing over the note, 'I'm not the one to refuse good money. I'm
willin' to do all I can to make you an' Miss Marryun happy.' With a
broad grin she sidled out of the room.

As for me, I gathered up the fragments of my pipe and departed. I no
longer wished to talk to Henry just then. I wanted to be alone to
think, to consider my strategic position. I must go away to some
remote place, perhaps not Tibet, but at any rate a quiet spot in the
country fully twenty miles out of London. Before going, however, I
must in some way show Miss Warrington the utter folly of her illusions
regarding my unfortunate self. Nothing must be left undone to achieve
that object.