be much better if I go away. Everyone ull think as I'm
bust, through having lost my case, and I'll go right away--Chichester,
I'd thought of going to, where Martha Relf is--and when the baby comes,
no one till be a bit the wiser."

"Of course they will. They'll know all about it--everything gets known
here, and you've never in your life been able to keep a secret. If you
marry, people won't talk in the same way--it'll be only guessing,
anyhow. You needn't be down here when the baby's born--and at least Tip
needn't know. Joanna, if you love me, if you ever loved me, you'll send
a wire to this man and tell him that you've changed your mind and must
see him--you can easily make up the quarrel, whatever it was."

"Maybe he wouldn't marry me now, even if I did wire."

"Nonsense--he'd have to."

"Well, he won't be asked."

Joanna was stiffening with grief. She had not expected to have this
battle with Ellen; she had been prepared for abuse and upbraiding, but
not for argument--it had not struck her that her sister would demand the
rehabilitation she herself refused.

"You're perfectly shameless," sobbed Ellen. "My God! It ud take a woman
like you to brazen through a thing like this. Swanking, swaggering,
you've always been ... well, I bet you'll find this too much even for
your swagger--you don't know what you're letting yourself in for.... I
can tell you a little, for I've known, I've felt, what people can be....
I've had to face them--when you wouldn't let Arthur give me my divorce."

"Well, I'll just about have to face 'em, that's all. I done wrong, and I
don't ask not to be punished."

"You're an absolute fool. And if you won't do anything for your own
sake, you might at least do something for mine. I tell you, I'm not like
you--I do think of other people--and for Tip's sake I can't have
everyone talking about you, and may be my own story raked up again. I
won't have him punished for his goodness. If you won't marry and be
respectable, I tell you, you needn't think I'll ever let you see me
again."

"But, Ellen, supposing even there is talk--you and Tip won't be here to
hear it. You'll be married by then and away in Wiltshire. Tip need never
know."

"How can he help knowing, as long as you've got a tongue in your head?
And what'll he think you're doing at Chichester?--No, I tell you,
Joanna, unless you marry Hill, you can say good-bye to me"--she was
speaking quite calmly now--"I don't want to be hard and unsis