that he may afterwards regret, if you go and fetch Dick. God knows,
Terence has enough to overwhelm him already."

At the suggestion of producing Dick, O'Moy's anger, which had begun
to simmer again, was stilled. He looked at his wife almost in
alarm, and she met his look with one of utter blankness.

"I can't," she said plaintively. "Dick's gone."

"Gone?" cried Tremayne.

"Gone?" said O'Moy, and then he began to laugh. "Are you quite sure
that he was ever here?"

"But - " She was a little bewildered, and a frown puckered her
perfect brow. " Hasn't Ned told you, then?"

"Oh, Ned has told me. Ned has told!" His face was terrible.

"And don't you believe him? Don't you believe me?" She was more
plaintive than ever. It was almost as if she called heaven to
witness what manner of husband she was forced to endure. "Then you
had better call Mullins and ask him. He saw Dick leave."

"And no doubt," said Miss Armytage mercilessly, "Sir Terence will
believe his butler where he can believe neither his wife nor his
friend."

He looked at her in a sort of amazement. "Do you believe them,
Sylvia?" he cried.