“You do,” said Van Aldin.

He was speaking now as he might have spoken to a business adversary.

“I will put it plainer. Who is the man?”

“What man?”

“ The man. That’s what Derek was driving at. Some special man who is a friend of yours. You needn’t worry, honey, I know there is nothing in it, but we have got to look at everything as it might appear to the Court. They can twist these things about a good deal, you know. I want to know who the man is, and just how friendly you have been with him.”

Ruth didn’t answer. Her hands were kneading themselves together in intense nervous absorption.