When
he pursued the coward, a second shot was fired at him. He was wounded.
Do you call that fair fighting? Ambushed, shot from behind a tree.
I don't care what you and Cecil think about it, I consider it
despicable. Thank God, Cecil was not really to blame. It is about the
only thing I can say to my brother's credit."

Lady Bazelhurst was staring at her young-sister-in-law with wide eyes.
It was the first time in all her petted, vain life that any one had
called her to account. She was, at first, too deeply amazed to resent
the sharp attack.

"Penelope Drake!" was all she could say. Then the fury in her soul
began to search for an outlet. "How dare you? How dare you?"

"I don't mean to hurt you. I am only telling you that your way of
treating this affair is a mistake. It can be rectified. You don't want
to be lawless; you don't understand what a narrow escape from murder
you have had. Evelyn, you owe reparation to Mr. Shaw. He is--"

"I understand why you take his side. You cheapen and degrade yourself
and you bring shame upon your brother and me by your disgraceful
affair with this ruffian. Don't look shocked! You meet him secretly,
I know--how much farther you have gone with him I don't know. It is
enough that you--"

"Stop! You shall not say such things to me!"

"You came in here to have it out with me. Well, we'll have it out. You
think because you're English, and all that that you are better than I.
You show it in your every action; you turn up your nose at me because
I am an American. Well, what if I am? Where would you be if it were
not for me? And where would _he_ be? You'd starve if it were not
for me. You hang to me like a leech--you sponge on me, you gorge
yourself--"

"That is enough, Evelyn. You have said all that is necessary. I
deserve it, too, for meddling in your affairs. It may satisfy you to
know that I have always despised you. Having confessed, I can only add
that we cannot live another hour under the same roof. You need not
order me to go. I shall do so of my own accord--gladly." Penelope
turned to the door. She was as cold as ice.

"It is the first time you have ever done anything to please me. You
may go in the morning."

"I shall go to-night!"

"As you like. It is near morning. Where do you expect to go at this
hour of night?"

"I am not afraid of the night. To-morrow I shall send over from the
village for my trunks." She paused near the door and then came back to
Cecil's side.