could be seen, her hands were
nervously moving. Roscoe went to a chair in another part of the room.
There was a deadly silence.

But Sibyl found a shaky voice, after an interval of gulping, though she
was unable to lift her eyes, and the darkling lids continued to veil
them. She spoke hurriedly, like an ungifted child reciting something
committed to memory, but her sincerity was none the less evident for
that.

"Father Sheridan, you and mother Sheridan have always been so kind to
me, and I would hate to have you think I don't appreciate it, from the
way I acted. I've come to tell you I am sorry for the way I did that
night, and to say I know as well as anybody the way I behaved, and it
will never happen again, because it's been a pretty hard lesson;
and when we come back, some day, I hope you'll see that you've got a
daughter-in-law you never need to be ashamed of again. I want to ask
you to excuse me for the way I did, and I can say I haven't any feelings
toward Edith now, but only wish her happiness and good in her new life.
I thank you for all your kindness to me, and I know I made a poor return
for it, but if you can overlook the way I behaved I know I would feel a
good deal happier--and I know Roscoe would, too. I wish to promise not
to be as foolish in the future, and the same error would never occur
again to make us all so unhappy, if you can be charitable enought to
excuse it this time."

He looked steadily at her without replying, and she stood before him,
never lifting her eyes; motionless, save where the moving fur proved the
agitation of her hands within the muff.

"All right," he said at last.

She looked up then with vast relief, though there was a revelation of
heavy tears when the eyelids lifted.

"Thank you," she said. "There's something else--about something
different--I want to say to you, but I want mother Sheridan to hear it,
too."

"She's up-stairs in her room," said Sheridan. "Roscoe--"

Sibyl interrupted. She had just seen Bibbs pass through the hall and
begin to ascend the stairs; and in a flash she instinctively perceived
the chance for precisely the effect she wanted.

"No, let me go," she said. "I want to speak to her a minute first,
anyway."

And she went away quickly, gaining the top of the stairs in time to see
Bibbs enter his room and close the door. Sibyl knew that Bibbs, in his
room, had overheard her quarrel with Edith in the hall outside; for
bitter Edith, thinking the