't come down," Jenny said, in a slow, passionless voice. "I
hadn't gone to bed. I was out. I'd been out all the evening ... since
quarter-to-nine."

iv

At first Emmy could not understand. She stood, puzzled, unable to
collect her thoughts.

"Jenny!" at last she said, unbelievingly. Accusing impulses showed in
her face. The softer mood, just passing, was replaced by one of anger.
"Well, I must say it's like you," Emmy concluded. "I'm not to have a
_moment_ out of the house. I can't even leave you...."

"Half-an-hour after you'd gone," urged Jenny, "I got a note from Keith."

"Keith!" It was Emmy's sign that she had noted the name.

"I told you.... He'd only got the one evening in London."

"Couldn't he have come here?"

"He mustn't leave his ship. I didn't know what to do. At first I thought
I _couldn't_ go. But the man was waiting--"

"Man!" cried Emmy. "What man?"

"The chauffeur."

Emmy's face changed. Her whole manner changed. She was outraged.

"Jenny! Is he _that_ sort! Oh, I warned you.... There's never any good
in it. He'll do you no good."

"He's a captain of a little yacht. He's not what you think," Jenny
protested, very pale, her heart sinking under such a rebuke, under such
knowledge as she alone possessed.

"Still, to go to him!" Emmy was returned to that aspect of the affair.
"And leave Pa!"

"I know. I know," Jenny cried. She was no longer protective. She was
herself in need of comfort. "But I _had_ to go. You'd have gone
yourself!" She met Emmy's gaze steadily, but without defiance.

"No I shouldn't!" It was Emmy who became defiant. Emmy's jealousy was
again awake. "However much I wanted to go. I should have stayed."

"And lost him!" Jenny cried.

"Are you sure of him now?" asked Emmy swiftly. "If he's gone again."

With her cheeks crimson, Jenny turned upon her sister.

"Yes, I'm sure of him. And I love him. I love him as much as you love
Alf." She had the impulse, almost irresistible, to add "More!" but she
restrained her tongue just in time. That was a possibility Emmy could
never admit. It was only that they were different.

"But to leave Pa!" Emmy's bewildered mind went back to what was the real
difficulty. Jenny protested.

"He was in bed. I thought he'd be safe. He was tucked up. Supposing I
hadn't gone. Supposing I'd gone up to bed an hour ago. Still he'd have
done the same."

"You know he wouldn't," Emmy said, very quietly. Jenny felt a wave of
hysteria pass throu