ore he had heard my own explanation.'

'Didn't you answer the letter?' asked Emmeline.

'No. I just sent a line to mother, to let her know I was coming over
to-day, so that she might stay at home. Well, and it happened just
as I thought. Mr. Cobb came to the house at half-past three. But
before that I'd had a terrible row with Cissy. That isn't a nice
expression, I know, but it really was one of our worst quarrels. Mr.
Bowling hasn't been near since I left, and Cissy is furious. She
said such things that I had to tell her very plainly what I thought
of her; and she positively foamed at the mouth! "Now look here," she
said, "if I find out that he goes to Sutton, you'll see what will
happen." "_What_ will happen?" I asked. "Father will stop your
allowance, and you'll have to get on as best you can." "Oh, very
well," I said, "in that case I shall marry Mr. Bowling." You should
have seen her rage! "You said you wouldn't marry him if he had ten
thousand a year!" she screamed. "I dare say I did; but if I've
nothing to live upon--" "You can marry your Mr. Cobb, can't you?"
And she almost cried; and I should have felt sorry for her if she
hadn't made me so angry. "No," I said, "I can't marry Mr. Cobb. And
I never dreamt of marrying Mr. Cobb. And--"'

Emmeline interposed.

'Really, Louise, that kind of talk isn't at all ladylike. What a
pity you went home.'

'Yes, I was sorry for it afterwards. I shan't go again for a long
time; I promise you I won't. However, Mr. Cobb came, and I saw him
alone. He was astonished when he heard what had been going on; he
was astonished at _me_, too--I mean, the way I spoke. I wanted him
to understand at once that there was nothing between us; I talked in
rather a--you know the sort of way.' She raised her chin slightly,
and looked down from under her eyelids. 'Oh, I assure you I behaved
quite nicely. But he got into a rage, as he always does, and began
to call me names, and I wouldn't stand it. "Mr. Cobb," I said, very
severely, "either you will conduct yourself properly, or you will
leave the house." Then he tried another tone, and said very
different things--the kind of thing one likes to hear, you know; but
I pretended that I didn't care for it a bit. "It's all over between
us then?" he shouted at last; yes, really shouted, and I'm sure
people must have heard. "All over?" I said. "But there never _was_
anything--nothing serious." "Oh, all right. Good-bye, then." And off
he rushed. And I