more acutely because in style, dress, and carriage this was the
model she would have chosen for herself.

Miss Walbrook waved hospitality aside. "Thank you, no; nothing in the
way of tea." She nodded over her shoulder towards William's retreating
form. "Who's that man?"

Her tone was that of a person with the right to inquire. Letty didn't
question that right, knowing the extent to which she herself was an
usurper. "His name is William."

"How did he come here?"

"I--I don't know."

"Where are Nettie and Jane?"

"They've--they've left."

"Left? Why?"

"I--I don't know."

"And has Mrs. Courage left too?"

Letty nodded, the damask flush flooding her cheeks darkly.

"When? Since--since you came?"

Letty nodded again. She knew now that this was the bar of social
judgment of which she had been afraid.

The social judge continued. "That must be very hard on Mr. Allerton."

Letty bowed her head. "I suppose it is."

"He's not used to new people about him, and it's not good for him. I
don't know whether you've seen enough of him to know that he's
something of an invalid."

"I know--" she touched her forehead--"that he's sick up here."

"Oh, do you? Then I shouldn't have thought that you'd have--" but she
dropped this line to take up another. "Yes, he's always been so. When
he was a boy they were afraid he might be epileptic; and though he
never was as bad as that he's always needed to be taken care of. He
can do very wild and foolish things as--as you've discovered for
yourself."

Letty felt herself now a little shameful lump of misery. This woman
was so experienced, so right. She spoke with a decision and an
authority which made love at first sight a fancy to blush at. Letty
could say nothing because there was nothing to say, and meanwhile the
determined voice went on.

"It's terrible for a man like him to make such a mistake, because
being what he is he can't grapple with it as a stronger or a coarser
man would do."

But here Letty saw something that might be faintly pleaded in her own
defence. "He says he wouldn't ha' made the mistake if that--that other
girl hadn't been crazy."

Barbara drew herself up. "Did he--did he say that?"

"He said something like it. He said she went off the hooks, just like
he did himself." She raised her eyes. "Do you know her, Miss
Walbrook?"

"Yes, I know her."

"She must be an awful fool."

Barbara prayed for patience. "What--what makes you say so?"

"Oh, j