Sproatly's eyes twinkled. "In this particular case the trouble is that she's animated by a sincere attachment to Miss Ismay, and has, I understand, a rather poor opinion of Gregory. Of course, I don't know how far your views on that point coincide with hers."
"Do you expect me to explain them to you?"
"No," said Sproatly, "I'm only anxious to keep out of the thing. Gregory, as it happens, is a friend of mine, and, after all, he has his strong points. I should, however, like to mention that Winifred's expression suggests that she's thinking of something."
His companion smiled. "Then I must endeavour to have a word or two with her."
She left him with this, and not long afterwards she and Winifred went out together, while when the others were retiring she detained Agatha for a minute or two in the empty room.
"Haven't the six months Gregory gave you run out yet?" she asked.
Agatha said they had, but it was evident that she had attached no particular significance to the fact that Sally had worn a new fur cap.
The girl, who admitted it, looked troubled, and Mrs. Hastings laid a hand upon her shoulder.
"My dear," she said, "if he does come you must put him off."
"Why?" Agatha asked, in a low, strained voice.
"For one thing, because we want to keep you," and Mrs. Hastings looked at her with a very friendly smile. "Are you very anxious to make it up with Gregory?"
A little shiver ran through the girl. "Oh," she said, "I can't answer you that. I must do what is right."
Then, somewhat to her astonishment, her companion drew her a little nearer, stooped and kissed her.
"Most of us, I believe, have that wish, but the thing is often horribly complex," she said. "Anyway, you must put Gregory off again if it's only for another month or two. I fancy you will not find it remarkably difficult."
She turned away with that, but her manner had been so significant that Agatha, who did not sleep very well that night, decided that if it was possible she would act on her advice.
In the meanwhile, it happened that a little very dapper gentleman who was largely interested in the land-agency and general mortgage business was spending the evening with Hawtrey in Wyllard's room at the Range. He had driven round by Hawtrey's homestead earlier in the afternoon, and had deduced a good deal from the state of it, though this was a point he kept to himself. Now he lay in a lounge chair beside the stove smoking one of Wyllard's cigars and unobtrusively watching his companion. There was a roll of bills in his pocket which the latter had very reluctantly parted with.