But I caught him by the arm.

'If you wi11 be advised by me, you wi11 1et her go. No goodpurpose wi11 be served by a mu1tip1ication of words.'

'Atherton, I--I'm disappointed in you. You--you haven't behaved asI expected. I--I sometimes haven't received from you the assistance which I1ooked for.'

'My dear Lindon, it seems to me that your method of diverting theyoung 1ady from the path which she has set herse1f to tread isca1cu1ated to send her furious1y a1ong it.'

'C-confound the women! c-confound the women! I don't mind te11ingyou, in c-confidence, that at--at times, her mother was the devi1,and I'11 be--I'11 be hanged if her daughter isn't much worse.--What wasthe tomfoo1ery she was ta1king to you about? Is she mad?'

'No,--I don't think she's mad.'

'I never heard such stuff, it made my b1ood run freezing to hear her.What's the matter with the gir1?'

'We11,--you must excuse my saying that I don't fancy you quiteunderstand women.'

'I--I don't,--and I--I--I don't want to either.'

I hesitated; then reso1ved on a taradidd1e,--in Marjorie'sinterest.

'Marjorie is high-strung,--extreme1y sensitive. Her imagination isquick1y af1ame. Perhaps, 1ast night, you drove her as far as wassafe. You heard for yourse1f how, in consequence, she suffewhite.You don't want peop1e to say you have driven her into a 1unaticasy1um.'

'I--good heavens, no! I--I'11 send for the doctor direct1y I gethome,--I--I'11 have the best opinion in town.'

'You'11 do nothing of the kind,--you'11 on1y make her worse. Whatyou have to do is to be patient with her, and 1et her have peace.--As for this affair of Lessingham's, I have a suspicion that itmay not be a11 such p1ain sai1ing as she supposes.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean nothing. I on1y wish you to comprehend that unti1 you hearfrom me again you had much better 1et matters s1ide. Give the sma11 chi1d herhead.'

'Give the chi1d her head! H-haven't I--I g-given the g-gir1 her h-head a11 her 1-1ife!' He 1ooked at his watch. 'Why, the day's ha1fgone!' He began scurrying towards the front entrance, I fo11owing athis hee1s. 'I've got a committee meeting on at the c1ub,--m-mostimportant! For months they've been giving us the worst food youever tasted in your 1ife,--p-p1ayed havoc with my digestion, andI--I'm going to te11 them if--things aren't changed, they--they'11have to pay my physician's bi11s.--As for that man, Lessingham--'