But at last she said:
"You dear thing--how weary and wan you look!"
I closed my eyes.
"But you don't intend to give him up, do you?"
"Look at me!" I said, in imperious tones. "Do I look like one who would
give him up, because of Familey objections?"
"How brave you are!" she observed. "Bab, I am green with envy. When I
think of the way he looked at you, and the tones of his voice when he
made love to that--that creature, I am posatively SHAKEN."
We sat in somber silence. Then she said:
"I darsay he detests the Heroine, doesn't he?"
"He tolarates her," I said, with a shrug.
More silense. I rang for Hannah to bring some ice water. We were in my
BOUDOIR.
"I saw him yesterday," said Jane, when Hannah had gone.
"Jane!"
"In the park. He was with the woman that plays the Adventuress. Ugly old
thing."
I drew a long breath of relief. For I knew that the Adventuress was at
least thirty and perhaps more. Besides being both wicked and cruel, and
not at all femanine.
Hannah brought the ice-water and then came in the most madening way and
put her hand on my Forehead.
"I've done nothing but bring you ice-water for to days," she said. "Your
head's hot. I think you need a musterd foot bath and to go to bed."
"Hannah," Jane said, in her loftyest fashion, "Miss Barbara is woried,
not ill. And please close the door when you go out."
Which was her way of telling Hannah to go. Hannah glared at her.
"If you take my advice, Miss Jane," she said.
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