en to spite any one
of whom she is jealous."

The cab drew up, and Julia, not failing to see Denah fulfil her words
at the junction of the street, got in. Rawson-Clew followed her. She
would have prevented him.

"Don't come," she said; "I don't want you. Good-bye."

But he insisted. "I certainly am coming," he said, and ordered the man
to drive on into the town, telling Julia to give the address.

She did so, weighing in her mind the while the chances of
Rawson-Clew's knowledge of Dutch being equal to following all that was
said when three people spoke at once, all of them in a great state of
excitement. She thought it was possible he would not master every
detail, but at the same time she did not wish him to try; it would be
insupportable to have him dragged into this, and in return for his
kindness to her have a dozen vulgar and ridiculous things said and
insinuated.

"Look here," she said, "there is not any need for you to come, I can
do better without you, I can indeed. I have got to explain things, of
course, but, as I told you before, I have had some practice at dodging
and explaining. I shall reach the Van Heigens' before Denah, so I
shall get the first hearing, that's all I want, I can explain
beautifully."

"You cannot explain me away," Rawson-Clew answered. "I know I was not
to have figured in the original account, that is obvious, but it is
equally obvious that I must figure in this one. I prefer to give it
myself."

"Oh, but that won't do at all!" Julia said. "Please leave it to me, it
would be nothing to me, I am used to tight places, and it would be an
insufferable annoyance to you. I really don't want you to suffer for
your kindness to me--you have no idea what absurd and ridiculous
things they will say."

Rawson-Clew had been polishing his eyeglass, he put it back in his eye
before he spoke. "My dear child," he said; "in spite of the sheltered
life with which you credit me, I assure you I have a very clear idea
of the kind of things they will say."

"Then for goodness sake, leave it to me," Julia said, losing her
temper; "I can do it a great deal better than you can; I'm not honest,
and you are, and that's a handicap."

"In these cases," Rawson-Clew answered imperturbably, "honesty
requires the consideration of the lady first and truth afterwards--a
long way after. Let me know what you want told and I will tell
it--with evidence--I suppose you are equal to evidence?"

Julia laughed, but w