第5部分(第2/8 頁)

ere　was　perfect　frankness　between　father　and　daughter。　What　did　he　mean　by　that；　Ruthie？〃

Mrs　Kettering　moved　a　little　in　her　chair。

〃I　…　I　don't　know；　Dad。　How　should　I？〃

〃Of　course　you　know；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃He　said　something　else；　about　his　having　his　friends　and　not　interfering　with　yours。　What　did　he　mean　by　that？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Ruth　Kettering　again。

Van　Aldin　sat　down。　His　mouth　set　itself　in　a　grim　line。

〃See　here；　Ruth。　I　am　not　going　into　this　with　my　eyes　closed。　I　am　not　at　all　sure　that　that　husband　of　yours　doesn't　mean　to　make　trouble。　Now；　he　can't　do　it；　I　am　sure　of　that。　I　have　got　the　means　to　silence　him；　to　shut　his　mouth　for　good　and　all；　but　I　have　got　to　know　if　there's　any　need　to　use　those　means。　What　did　he　mean　by　your　having　your　own　friends？〃

Mrs　Kettering　shrugged　her　shoulders。

〃I　have　got　lots　of　friends；〃　she　said　uncertainly。　〃I　don't　know　what　he　meant；　I　am　sure。〃

〃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