"This minute!"

For a moment we sat and stared at her. Finally John Cavendish,
finding his persuasions of no avail, went off to look up the
trains. His wife followed him, murmuring something about
persuading Mrs. Inglethorp to think better of it.

As she left the room, Miss Howard's face changed. She leant
towards me eagerly.

"Mr. Hastings, you're honest. I can trust you?"

I was a little startled. She laid her hand on my arm, and sank
her voice to a whisper.

"Look after her, Mr. Hastings. My poor Emily. They're a lot of
sharks--all of them. Oh, I know what I'm talking about. There
isn't one of them that's not hard up and trying to get money out
of her. I've protected her as much as I could. Now I'm out of
the way, they'll impose upon her."

"Of course, Miss Howard," I said, "I'll do everything I can, but
I'm sure you're excited and overwrought."

She interrupted me by slowly shaking her forefinger.

"Young man, trust me. I've lived in the world rather longer than
you have. All I ask you is to keep your eyes open. You'll see
what I mean."