w do you do,
Mrs. Fielding? As I can't dress, I've been sent down to try and make my
peace with you for showing my face here at all. I hope you'll be lenient
for once, for really I've had a thorough bullying for my sins."

He came forward with the words. His bearing was absolutely easy though
neither he nor his hostess seemed to think of shaking hands.

She looked at him with a disdainful curve of the lips that could scarcely
have been described as a smile of welcome. "I imagine it would take a
good deal of that sort of thing to make much impression upon you, Mr.
Green," she said.

Green's eyes began to shine. He glanced at Juliet. "Really I am much more
inoffensive than you seem to think," he said. "I hope you are not going
to repeat the dose. I was hoping to secure your forgiveness for what
happened this afternoon. Believe me, no one regrets it more sincerely
than I do."

Mrs. Fielding drew herself together with a gesture of distaste. "Oh,
that! I have no desire whatever to discuss it with you. I have long
regarded your half-witted brother as a disgrace to the neighbourhood, and
my opinion is scarcely likely to be modified by what happened this
afternoon."

"How unfortunate!" said Green.

Again he glanced at Juliet. She lifted her eyes to his. "I am afraid I
haven't taken my share of the blame," she said. "But I think you know
that I am very sorry for Robin."

"You are always kind," he rejoined gravely.

"How could you be to blame, Miss Moore?" asked Mrs. Fielding.

Juliet turned towards her. "Because Robin and I are friends," she
explained simply. "He came here to look for me, and Jack ordered him off.
That was the origin of the trouble. And so--" she smiled--"Mr. Green
tells me it was my fault."

"He would," commented Mrs. Fielding.

She turned with the words as if Green's proximity were an offence to her,
and walked away to the window at the further end of the room.

In the slightly strained pause that followed, Juliet bent to fondle
Columbus who was sitting pressed against her and her book slid from her
lap to the ground. Green stooped swiftly and picked it up.

"What is it? May I look?"

She held out her hand for it. "It is _Marionettes_,--Dene Strange's
latest. Mrs. Fielding lent it to me."

He kept the book in his hand. "I thought you said you wouldn't read any
more of that man's stuff."

She knitted her brows a little. "Did I say so? I don't remember."

He looked down at her keenly. "You