Then she spoke again.
"My husband desires me to thank you," she said. "He desires me to hope
that you will continue to visit at the house, and that you will not allow
anything he may have said to interfere between our friendship."
"Nothing that he has said or could say could interfere with that,"
Wingate assured her,--"at least that is my point of view."
"And mine!"
"Shall I see you to-day?" he asked.
"I hope so," she answered. "Perhaps after luncheon--"
There was a sound as though the receiver had been taken from her fingers.
Dredlinton himself spoke.
"Look here, Wingate, this is Dredlinton speaking," he said. "You won't
let this little affair make any difference to your call upon us on
Tuesday morning?"
"Certainly not," Wingate replied. "I was thinking of writing you about
that, though. I don't see any object in my coming. I think you had better
let me off that visit."
"My dear fellow," Dredlinton pleaded, "if you don't come, Phipps will
think it is because of last night's affair and I shall get it in the
neck. I'm in disgrace enough already. Do, for heaven's sake, oblige me,
there's a good chap."
Wingate hesitated for a moment.
"Very well," he assented, "I will go. Is that all?"
"That's all, thanks."
"I should like to speak to your wife again," Wingate said.
"Sorry, she's just gone out," was the rather malicious reply.
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