have
knocked me down. What is the matter with you, Peggy?"

"I'm in a hurry, that's all," I answered.

"What are you doing with Sidney's coat over your arm?" she catechized me
sharply.

"Didn't you know it was among the 'rubbish' upstairs that you were so
anxious to get rid of?" I retorted in the same tone.

"Yes, I knew that; but why do you career downstairs with it as if the
sky were falling, and leave everything else? You _shall_ tell me! I
won't let you go till you do."

With the first words she had spoken after our collision, Di had mounted
the top step, though still guarding the way down; and with her shrill
threat she pushed me back from the stairhead by throwing herself against
me and at the same time grasping the coat as if to snatch it off my arm.

Diana is much taller and stronger than I am. She could take the coat
from me by force; and the thought darted through my head that without it
to prove where and how the lost message had been found, the paper would
lose half its value. My word, unsupported by proof, would not be enough
against Major Vandyke, for it was known that I detested him, and was a
sworn friend to Captain March. I must keep the coat at any cost to
myself--or even to Diana.

Standing at bay, looking up at her white face of anger and suspicion, I
felt very small and frail of body; but my soul gathered strength of
battle. I clasped my bare arms over the coat and locked my fingers round
my two elbows.

"This is mine," I said. "You gave it to me to do as I liked with. You've
no right to take it away. I'm going to make a present of it to somebody
who's been robbed of everything, and needs it."

This was the best explanation I could think of. But it was not good
enough for Diana. She attempted to push me farther back, and I resisted,
trying to wriggle myself free and elude her; but she was on the alert,
and too quick as well as too strong for my trick to succeed.

"No, you shan't slip away like that, you little wild-cat!" she cried,
beginning to pant slightly. In the white light of the electric
candelabra, which made the corridor bright as day, I saw her beautiful
bosom heave under its double rope of creamy pearls. All the charming
softness which men loved was gone from her face. It looked hard and
cruel.

Just as I meant to escape at any price, so she meant at any price to
keep me. I guessed that she had come home alone, and let herself in with
a latch-key, for apparently there were n