st go home to get supper for my husband. You got a good man, and you
throw him away like so much rubbish. You got no sense."

"I go!" said Evanthia, pausing with her hands full of things she was
stuffing into a bag. "Do I not go?"

"You go!" said Esther savagely. "You make him take you to the town to
see your fellow."

"Oh!" exclaimed Evanthia, stopping again and stifling a laugh. She had
not thought of such a thing. "What you must think of me!" she murmured.

"And then tell him you are finished. You have a heart, yes, as big as
that ring on your finger. You take everything from him, and now you...."

With a sudden gesture of rage the girl flung the things away and stood
up to her friend.

"I'll kill you!" she growled through her teeth. "I know you! You are
jealous, jealous, jealous! I see you talk, talk English to him at the
bath-house. I see you go out with him for the walk through the village.
I hear you talk to him about that girl Vera he saw once in Odessa. All
right! Go with him! Go! Here are the things. Take them! I spit at you.
You...."

She fell back, exhausted with the ferocity of her passion, her hands
still making gestures of dismissal to the silent and scornful Esther who
remained motionless yet alert, ready to take her own part.

"You are altogether mad!" she said at last in her husky tones. "Here is
your husband. Tell him, tell him...."

Evanthia spun round where she stood with her hands on her bosom.

"We must go, dear," said Mr. Spokesly and paused in astonishment at the
scene. With a convulsive movement the girl tore at her dress and then
flung out her hand towards the shore.

"Go then, go! Why do you come here any more? You want her. There she is,
jealous because all the men want me. Look at her. She ask you with her
eyes. Oh, yah! I hate you! I never love you. It is finish. Go!"

"Eh!" he called, swallowing hard. He looked at Esther in amazement.
"What is this?" he asked. "What have you said to her? My dear!"

"You better go," said Esther sullenly. "She won't go with you. Can't you
see?"

"But how can I go without her?" he exclaimed.

"I kill myself before I go. This is my place. Go back, you. I hate you."

Esther came over to him and, taking up the satchel, thrust him out
before her. Down the steps and across the dark garden she went with him,
and only when the great gate clanged did he make an effort to break
through the dreadful paralysis of mind that had assailed him.

"What m