The lawyer, over the Camembert and Burgundy, began to excuse himself for his delay.

“I didn’t like to say anything while your man was about—­but the fact is, I was sent for on a rather unusual matter—­”

“Oh, it’s all right,” said Granice cheerfully.  He was beginning to feel the usual reaction that food and company produced.  It was not any recovered pleasure in life that he felt, but only a deeper withdrawal into himself.  It was easier to go on automatically with the social gestures than to uncover to any human eye the abyss within him.

“My dear fellow, it’s sacrilege to keep a dinner waiting—­especially the production of an artist like yours.”  Mr. Ascham sipped his Burgundy luxuriously.  “But the fact is, Mrs. Ashgrove sent for me.”

Granice raised his head with a quick movement of surprise.  For a moment he was shaken out of his self-absorption.

“Mrs. Ashgrove?”

Ascham smiled.  “I thought you’d be interested; I know your passion for causes celebres.  And this promises to be one.  Of course it’s out of our line entirely—­we never touch criminal cases.  But she wanted to consult me as a friend.  Ashgrove was a distant connection of my wife’s.  And, by Jove, it is a queer case!” The servant re-entered, and Ascham snapped his lips shut.

Would the gentlemen have their coffee in the dining-room?

“No—­serve it in the library,” said Granice, rising.  He led the way back to the curtained confidential room.  He was really curious to hear what Ascham had to tell him.

While the coffee and cigars were being served he fidgeted about the library, glancing at his letters—­the usual meaningless notes and bills—­and picking up the evening paper.  As he unfolded it a headline caught his eye.

“ROSE MELROSE WANTS TO PLAY POETRY.

“THINKS SHE HAS FOUND HER POET.”

He read on with a thumping heart—­found the name of a young author he had barely heard of, saw the title of a play, a “poetic drama,” dance before his eyes, and dropped the paper, sick, disgusted.  It was true, then—­she was “game”—­it was not the manner but the matter she mistrusted!

Granice turned to the servant, who seemed to be purposely lingering. 
“I shan’t need you this evening, Flint.  I’ll lock up myself.”

He fancied the man’s acquiescence implied surprise.  What was going on, Flint seemed to wonder, that Mr. Granice should want him out of the way?  Probably he would find a pretext for coming back to see.  Granice suddenly felt himself enveloped in a network of espionage.

As the door closed he threw himself into an armchair and leaned forward to take a light from Ascham’s cigar.

“Tell me about Mrs. Ashgrove,” he said, seeming to himself to speak stiffly, as if his lips were cracked.

“Mrs. Ashgrove?  Well, there’s not much to tell.”

“And you couldn’t if there were?” Granice smiled.