She offered no further resistance, and Reg passed with her into a small sitting-room.
"Stay where you are, Jones," said Reg, as he saw him about to leave them alone. "You can hear all I have to say. Miss Williamson, I have heard all about your troubles, and I want you to listen to mine:" and again his sad story was recited.
"Now Miss Williamson I am off to Australia to take vengeance, and I want you to assist me."
"In this way. You are here toiling your life away for a meagre pittance. You must give it up."
"Stay, let me finish. I want you to clear your name and honour before the world. I want you to rise again to your old position, and be revenged that way."
"No it's not, sir," chimed in Jones, eagerly.
"She could get a good engagement to-morrow if she liked."
"Miss Williamson, as I said before, I am a rich man. I have thousands a year, and now I have no use for the money I want you to accept--"
"I shall accept nothing, sir," said she, sharply.
"I want you to accept," resumed Reg, tranquilly, "a small loan in order to enable you to have a fair start, and as you will not quite trust me, I will place it in Jones's hands. Here, Jones," he continued, handing him a roll of notes, "are a hundred and fifty pounds. You are to watch over Miss Williamson and see that she resumes her calling. Miss Williamson, once more I beg of you to assist me, and when you are a successful woman again, and making lots of money, you can repay me."
"Miss Marjorie, do it. I'll help you," said Jones, appealingly.
"Then I'll do it, Mr. Morris, and God bless you;" then words failed her, and she laid her head on the sofa and burst into tears.
Reg bid her good-bye and, followed by Jones left the house, feeling lighter-hearted than he had been for several days. And Jones, when he was put down at the theatre door, said, in a choking voice:
"You'll never regret this day's work, sir. God bless you."
Reg next went to the shop at which he had ordered his die, and found it a most satisfactory piece of workmanship. Then he drove to the offices of the Orient Company, and found if he left London on the following Friday he could catch the _Orltuz_ at Naples.
"There's only one berth left, sir," said the clerk. "It's in a two-berth cabin, and a Mr. Allen Winter has the other."