oing to explain it to you."

"No explanations for me, thanks!" she sneered, walking in the
direction of the hearth. "I'd sooner hear anything, anything, than
your explanations." She seemed to shudder.

He nerved himself.

"I tell you I _found_ that money," he cried, recommencing.

"Well, good-bye," she said, moving to the door. "You don't seem to
understand."

At the same moment there was a knock at the door.

"Come in, Mrs. Tarns," said Rachel calmly.

"She mustn't come in now," Louis protested.

"Come in, Mrs. Tams," Rachel repeated decisively.

And Mrs. Tams entered, curtsying towards the bed.

"What is it?" Rachel asked her.

"It's the greengrocer's cart, ma'am." The greengrocer usually did send
round on Saturday mornings.

"I'll go down. Just clear up that washstand, will you?"

It was remarkable to Louis how chance would favour a woman in an
altercation. But he had decided, even if somewhat hysterically, to
submit to no more delay, and to end the altercation--and moreover, to
end it in his own way.

"Rachel!" he called. Several times he called her name, more and more
loudly. He ignored what was due to servants, to greengrocers, and to
the dignity of employers. He kept on calling.

"Shall I fetch missis, sir?" Mrs. Tams suggested at length.

He nodded. Mrs. Tams departed, laden. Certainly the fat creature, from
whom nothing could be hid by a younger generation, had divined that
strife had supervened on illness, and that great destinies hung upon
the issue. Neither Mrs. Tams nor Rachel returned to the bedroom. Louis
began again to call for Rachel, and then to yell for her. He could
feel that the effort was exhausting him, but he was determined to
vanquish her.

IV

Without a sound she startlingly appeared in the room.

"What's the matter?" she inquired, with her irritating assumption of
tranquillity.

"You know what's the matter."

"I wish you wouldn't scream like a baby," she said.

"You know I want to speak to you, and you're keeping out of the way on
purpose."

Rachel said--

"Look here, Louis! Do you want me to leave the house altogether?"

He thought--

"What is she saying? We've only been married a few weeks. This is
getting serious."

Aloud he answered--

"Of course I don't want you to leave the house."

"Well, then, don't say any more. Because if you do, I shall. I've
heard all I want to hear. There are some things I can bear, and some I
can't bear."

"If you do