But the man who starts before he is called finds
no welcome at the end. The greatest in life are those who are content
to wait!"
"I am not in the least disposed to doubt it, Mr. Pengarth," Wingrave
said calmly. "Now I must really send you away."
So Mr. Pengarth went, but Wingrave was not long destined to remain in
solitude. There was a sound of voices in the hall, Morrison's
protesting, another insistent. Then the door opened, and Wingrave
looked up with darkening face, which did not lighten when he
recognized the intruder.
"Aynesworth!" he exclaimed, "what are you doing here? What do you want
with me?"
"Five minutes," Aynesworth answered, "and I mean to have it. You may
as well tell your man to take his hand off my shoulder."
Wingrave nodded to Morrison.
"You can go," he said. "Come back when I ring."
They were alone! Aynesworth threw down his hat and crossed the room
until he was within a few feet of Wingrave.
"Well, sir?"
Aynesworth laughed a little unnaturally.
"I had to come," he said. "It is humiliating, but the discipline is
good for me! I was determined to come and see once more the man who
has made an utter and complete fool of me."
Wingrave eyed him coldly.
"If you would be good enough to explain," he began.
"Oh, yes, I'll explain," Aynesworth answered. "I engaged myself to you
as secretary, didn't I, and I told you the reason at the time? I
wanted to make a study of you.
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