 useful to you in some way. As it was, I supposed you
would scarcely thank me for coming forward.«
    It might or might not be the truth, as far as Clara was able to decide.
Possibly the information had come from some one else. She knew him well enough
to be assured by his tone that nothing more could be elicited from him on that
point.
    »You are quite recovered, I hope?« Scawthorne added, surveying her as she
stood in the obscurity. »In your general health?«
    He was courteous, somewhat distant.
    »I suppose I'm as well as I shall ever be,« she answered coldly. »I asked
you to meet me because I wanted to know what it was you spoke of in your last
letters. You got my answer, I suppose.«
    »Yes, I received your answer. But - in fact, it's too late. The time has
gone by; and perhaps I was a little hasty in the hopes I held out. I had partly
deceived myself.«
    »Never mind. I wish to know what it was,« she said impatiently.
    »It can't matter now. Well, there's no harm in mentioning it. Naturally you
went out of your way to suppose it was something dishonourable. Nothing of the
kind; I had an idea that you might come to terms with an Australian who was
looking out for actresses for a theatre in Melbourne - that was all. But he
wasn't quite the man I took him for. I doubt whether it could have been made as
profitable as I thought at first.«
    »You expect me to believe that story?«
    »Not unless you like. It's some time since you put any faith in my goodwill.
The only reason I didn't speak plainly was because I felt sure that the mention
of a foreign country would excite your suspicions. You have always attributed
evil motives to me rather than good. However, this is not the time to speak of
such things. I sympathise with you - deeply. Will you tell me if I can - can
help you at all?«
    »No, you can't. I wanted to make quite sure that you were what I thought
you, that's all.«
    »I don't think, on the whole, you have any reason to complain of ill-faith
on my part. I secured you the opportunities that are so hard to find.«
    »Yes, you did. We don't
