to his wife, as she clung to his
arm, and they entered the house together. "It's a shame to distress you
so, just as we are getting settled, and Marie and Lottie are working
in! But it's too absurd, and to have you worry your little head is
ridiculous, of course! Let them stay here to dinner, and then I'll just
quietly take it for granted that they are going home--"

"But--but their trunks are here, dearest!"

Husband and wife were in their own room now, and Genevieve was rapidly
recovering her calm. George turned from his mirror to frown at her in
surprise. "Their trunks! They didn't lose any time, did they? But do you
mean to say there was no telephoning--no notice at all?"

"They may have telephoned, George, love. But I was over at Grace
Hatfield's for a while, and I got back just before they came in!"

George went on with his dressing, a thoughtful expression on his face.
Genevieve thought he looked stunning in the loose Oriental robe he wore
while he shaved.

"Well, whatever they think, we can't have this, you know," he said
presently. "I'll have to be quite frank with Alys,--of course Emelene
has no sense!"

"Yes, be quite frank!" Genevieve urged eagerly. "Tell them that of
course you were only speaking figuratively. Nobody ever means that a
woman really can't get along without a man's protection, because look at
the women who _do_--"

She stopped, a little troubled by the expression on his face.

"I said what I truly believe, dear," he said kindly. "You know that!"
Genevieve was silent. Her heart beat furiously, and she felt that she
was going to cry. He was angry with her--he was angry with her! Oh, what
had she said, what _had_ she said!

"But for all that," George continued, after a moment, "nobody but two
women could have put such an idiotic construction upon my words. I
am certainly going to make that point with Alys. A sex that can jump
headlong to such a perfectly untenable conclusion is very far from ready
to assume the responsibilities of citizenship--"

"George, dearest!" faltered Genevieve. She did not want to make him
cross again, but she could not in all loyalty leave him under this
misunderstanding, to approach the always articulate Alys.

"George, it was Penny, I'm sure!" she said. "From what they said,--they
talked all the time!--I think Penny went to see them, and sort of--sort
of--suggested this! I'm so sorry, George--"

George was sulphurously silent.

"And Penny will make the m