lf hour. Now it was her turn. She would show that she
was, as always, more than ready to meet Gertie half-way. It would be his
affair to see that her advances were received in better part in future
than they had been.

She went on busily with her ironing, waiting for him to begin. But Eddie
seemed to experience a certain embarrassment in coming to the subject.
While she took article after article from the clothes-basket at her
side, he wandered about the room aimlessly, puffing at a pipe which
seemed never to stay lighted.

[Illustration: MARRIED--THOUGH SECRETLY ENEMIES.]

"That's the toughest nut I've ever been set to crack," he said at
length, pointing his pipestem after the vanished Hornby. "Why on earth
did you give him a letter to me?"

"He asked me to. I couldn't very well say no."

"I can't make out what people are up to in the old country. They think
that if a man is too big a rotter to do anything at all in England,
they've only got to send him out here and he'll make a fortune."

"He may improve."

"I hope so. Look here, Nora, you've thoroughly upset Gertie."

"She's very easily upset, isn't she?"

"It's only since you came that things haven't gone right. We never used
to have scenes."

"So you blame me. I came prepared to like her and help her. She met all
my advances with suspicion."

"She thinks yon look down on her. You ought to remember that she never
had your opportunities. She's earned her own living from the time she
was thirteen. You can't expect in her the refinements of a woman who's
led the protected life you have."

"Now, Eddie, I haven't said a word that could be turned into the least
suggestion of disapproval of anything she did."

"My dear, your whole manner has expressed disapproval. You won't do
things in the way we do them. After all, the way you lived in Tunbridge
Wells isn't the only way people can live. Our ways suit us, and when you
live amongst us you must adopt them."

"She's never given me a chance to learn them," said Nora obstinately.
"She treated me with suspicion and enmity the very first day I came
here. When she sneered at me because I talked of a station instead of a
depot, of _course_ I went on talking of a station. What do you think I'm
made of? Because I prefer to drink water with my meals instead of your
strong tea, she says I'm putting on airs."

Marsh made a pleading gesture.

"Why can't you humor her? You see, you've got to take the blame for all
th