Ellen stared at her in amazement, alarm, and some sympathy.

"I'm driving in to tell Edward Huxtable about it this morning. Not that
I trust him, after the mess he made of my case; howsumever, I can look
after him in this business, and the auctioneer, too."

"But, my dear, I thought you said you'd plenty of money to meet your
losses."

"So I have. That's not why I'm selling."

"Then why on earth ..."

The colour mounted to Joanna's face. She looked at her sister's
delicate, thoughtful face, with its air of quiet happiness. The room was
full of sunshine, and Ellen was all in white.

"Ellen, I'm going to tell you something ... because you're my sister.
And I trust you not to let another living soul know what I've told you.
As I kept your secret four years ago, so now you can keep mine."

Ellen's face lost a little of its repose--suddenly, for a moment, she
looked like the Ellen of "four years ago."

"Really, Joanna, you might refrain from raking up the past."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to rake up nothing. I've no right--seeing as
what I want to tell you is that I'm just the same as you."

Ellen turned white.

"What do you mean?" she cried furiously.

"I mean--I'm going to have a child."

Ellen stared at her without speaking, her mouth fell open; then her face
began working in a curious way.

"I know I been wicked," continued Joanna, in a dull, level voice--"but
it's too late to help that now. The only thing now is to do the best I
can, and that is to get out of here."

"Do you know what you're talking about?" said Ellen.

"Yes--I know right enough. It's true what I'm telling you. I didn't know
for certain till yesterday."

"Are you quite sure?"

"Certain sure."

"But--" Ellen drummed with her fingers on the table, her hands were
shaking, her colour came and went.

"Joanna--is it Albert's child?"

"Of course it is."

"Then why--why in God's name did you break off the engagement?"

"I tell you I didn't know till yesterday. I'd been scared once or twice,
but he told me it was all right."

"Does he know?"

"He doesn't."

"Then he must be told"--Ellen sprang to her feet--"Joanna, what a fool
you are! You must send him a wire at once and tell him to come down
here. You must marry him."

"That I won't!"

"But you're mad--really, you've no choice in the matter. You must marry
him at once."

"I tell you I'll never do that."

"If you don't ... can't you see what'll happen?--are you an ab