ed about. As for
Lucy, on the whole she despised her for preferring James with the Law
to Jimmy without it. In this she did little justice to James's use of
his advantage; but, as I say, she didn't know what had happened. All
she could see for herself was that where she had once had a _faible_
for Urquhart she was now ridiculously in love with her husband. Vera
thought that any woman was ridiculous who fell into that position.
She was not alone in the opinion.

However, the main thing was that Jimmy shouldn't fret himself into a
fever. If he kept quiet, she believed that he would recover. There was
no dislocation, the doctors told her, but a very bad wrench. He must
be perfectly still--and we should see.

Lucy was not told how impatiently she was awaited. James, maybe, did
not know anything about it. He felt great delicacy in telling what he
had to tell her of the events of that day. But she guessed nearly
everything, even that Urquhart had intended to break his own neck. "He
would," she said, being in a stare; "he's like that." James agreed,
but pointed out that it had nearly involved his own end likewise. Lucy
stared on, but said, "That wouldn't occur to him at the time." No,
said James, on the contrary. It had occurred to him at the time that
if he cut the rope, he, James, would immediately turn for home. She
nodded her head several times. "He's like that." And then she turned
and hid her face. "It's all dreadful," she said; "I don't want to know
any more." It was then that James pronounced upon Urquhart's absence
of morality, and found out that she was very much interested in him
anyhow.

She was curious about what had passed between him and James, for she
was sure that there had been something. James admitted that. "It was
very uncomfortable," he said; "I cut him as short as I could--but I
was awfully sorry for him. After all, I had scored, you see."

She gave him a long look. "Yes, you scored. All ways. Because, it was
only when I was angry with you that I--thought he might do." There
could be no comment on that. Then she said, "I'm thankful that I told
you everything before he did."

"So am I, by Jove," said James. He put his arm round her. "If you
hadn't," he said, "I think I could have let him die." Lucy shook her
head.

"No, you wouldn't have done that. He would have--but not you. If you
had been capable of that you wouldn't have called me to come to you as
you did--that day." He knew which day she mea