I accept it." There was a brief pause.

Josephine was obviously repeating Wingate's decision to her husband.

Then she spoke again.
"My husband desires me to thank you," she said.

"He desires me to hope that you will continue to visit at the house, and that you will not allow anything he may have said to interfere between our friendship." "Nothing that he has said or could say could interfere with that," Wingate assured her,--"at least that is my point of view." "And mine!" "Shall I see you to-day ?" he asked.
"I hope so," she answered.

"Perhaps after luncheon--" There was a sound as though the receiver had been taken from her fingers.
Dredlinton himself spoke.
"Look here, Wingate, this is Dredlinton speaking," he said.