then she opened the door of Mrs. Robey's sitting-room.

At the sight of her husband, Lady Blake's sobs died
down in long, convulsive sighs.

"Come, my dear," he said, in rather cold, measured
tones. "This will not do. You must try for our boy's
sake to pull yourself together. After all, it might
have been much worse. He might have been killed."

"I would much rather he had been killed," she exclaimed
vehemently. "Oh, John, you don't know, you
don't understand, what this will mean to him!"

"Don't I?" he asked. He set his teeth. And then,
"You're acting very wrongly!" he said sternly.
"We've got to face this thing out. Remember what
Sir Jacques said to you." He waited a moment, then,
in a gentler, kinder tone, "Rose and I are going out
for a walk, and we want you to come too."

"Oh, I don't think I could do that." She spoke
uncertainly, and yet even he could see that she was
startled, surprised, and yes, pleased.

"Oh, yes, you can!" Rose came forward with the
poor lady's hat and black lace cloak. Very gently,
but with the husband's strong arm gripping the wife's
rather tightly, they between them led her out of the
front door into the Close.

"I think," said Sir John mildly, "that you had better
run back and get your hat, Rose."

She left them, and Sir John Blake, letting go of
his wife's arm looked down into her poor blurred face
for a moment. "That girl," he said hoarsely, "sets us
both an example, Janey."

"That's true," she whispered, "But John?"

"Yes."

[[254]]

p253 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p254w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p255

v?