curiously.
"She is nineteen," said the girl, and the Commissioner, who had pictured Belinda in short plaid frocks and long pigtails, and had moreover visualised her as a freckled little girl with thin legs and snub nose, was abashed.
He delivered a short lecture on the sacred rights of property, paid the girl the three months' wages which were due to her--he had no doubt as to the legality of her claim--and dismissed her with instructions to go back to the house, pack her box and clear out.
After the girl had gone, T.X.sat down to consider the position.

He might see Kara and since Kara had expressed his contrition and was probably in a more humble state of mind, he might make reparation.

Then again he might not.

Mansus was waiting and T.X.walked back with him to his little office.
"I hardly know what to make of it," he said in despair.
"If you can give me Kara's motive, sir, I can give you a solution," said Mansus.
T.X.shook his head.
"That is exactly what I am unable to give you," he said.
He perched himself on Mansus's desk and lit a cigar.
"I have a good mind to go round and see him," he said after a while.
"Why not telephone to him ?" asked Mansus.

"There is his 'phone straight into his boudoir." He pointed to a small telephone in a corner of the room.
"Oh, he persuaded the Commissioner to run the wire, did he ?" said T.X.
interested, and walked over to the telephone.
He fingered the receiver for a little while and was about to take it off, but changed his mind.
"I think not," he said, "I'll go round and see him to-morrow.