"
"Foolish of you--very foolish!" Hamar said, "when I want to be
friendly. Sooner or later you must give in, so why not end all this
needless unpleasantness now, and receive me--if not with open arms--at
least amicably. You are so awfully pretty! I must have just one----"
but before he could kiss Gladys the police arrived, and Hamar once
more retired--with somewhat undignified haste, and more than a little
discomfited.
On arriving in Cockspur Street, Hamar's temper underwent a still
further trial. Kelson, taking advantage of his absence, had gone off
to tea with Lilian Rosenberg.
In ill-suppressed fury, he waited till they returned.
"A word with you, Matt," he said, as Kelson tried to shuffle past him.
"So this is the way you behave when my back is turned. I suppose
you've had a good time!"
"Delightful!"
"And you know the consequences!"
"Only that I'm looking forward to the same thing another day."
"She'll go!"
"She won't," Kelson chuckled. "She is far too valuable. So there, old
man! A month ago your threat might have held good. It won't now. You
daren't--you positively daren't part with her--because, if you did so,
you'd not only part with a good few of your secrets, but you'd part
with me."
CHAPTER XVII
THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE
"What's to be done with Matt?" Hamar asked Curtis, soon after the
interview just recorded. "He's as sweet on Rosensberg as he can be,
and says if I dismiss her he'll go too!"
"Then don't dismiss her," Curtis replied.
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