“I’ve explained that to Mother Sheridan.”  Sibyl’s voice indicated that she was descending the stairs.  “Married people are not the same.  Some things that should be shielded from a young girl—­”

This seemed to have no very soothing effect upon Edith. “’Shielded from a young girl’!” she shrilled.  “You seem pretty willing to be the shield!  You look out Roscoe doesn’t notice what kind of a shield you are!”

Sibyl’s answer was inaudible, but Mrs. Sheridan’s flurried attempts at pacification were renewed.  “Now, Edie, Edie, she means it for your good, and you’d oughtn’t to—­”

“Oh, hush up, mamma, and let me alone!  If you dare tell papa—­”

“Now, now!  I’m not going to tell him to-day, and maybe—­”

“You’ve got to promise never to tell him!” the girl cried, passionately.

“Well, we’ll see.  You just come back in your own room, and we’ll—­”

“No!  I won’t ‘talk it over’!  Stop pulling me!  Let me alone!” And Edith, flinging herself violently upon Bibbs’s door, jerked it open, swung round it into the room, slammed the door behind her, and threw herself, face down, upon the bed in such a riot of emotion that she had no perception of Bibbs’s presence in the room.  Gasping and sobbing in a passion of tears, she beat the coverlet and pillows with her clenched fists.  “Sneak!” she babbled aloud.  “Sneak!  Snake-in-the-grass!  Cat!”

Bibbs saw that she did not know he was there, and he went softly toward the door, hoping to get away before she became aware of him; but some sound of his movement reached her, and she sat up, startled, facing him.

“Bibbs!  I thought I saw you go out awhile ago.”

“Yes.  I came back, though.  I’m sorry—­”

“Did you hear me quarreling with Sibyl?”

“Only what you said in the hall.  You lie down again, Edith.  I’m going out.”

“No; don’t go.”  She applied a handkerchief to her eyes, emitted a sob, and repeated her request.  “Don’t go.  I don’t mind you; you’re quiet, anyhow.  Mamma’s so fussy, and never gets anywhere.  I don’t mind you at all, but I wish you’d sit down.”

“All right.”  And he returned to his chair beside the trunk.  “Go ahead and cry all you want, Edith,” he said.  “No harm in that!”

“Sibyl told mamma—­oh!” she began, choking.  “Mary Vertrees had mamma and Sibyl and I to tea, one afternoon two weeks or so ago, and she had some women there that Sibyl’s been crazy to get in with, and she just laid herself out to make a hit with ’em, and she’s been running after ’em ever since, and now she comes over here and says they say Bobby Lamhorn is so bad that, even though they like his family, none of the nice people in town would let him in their houses.  In the first place, it’s a falsehood, and I don’t believe a word of it; and in the second place I know the reason she did it, and, what’s more, she knows I know it!  I won’t say what it is—­not yet—­because papa and all of you would think I’m as crazy as she is snaky; and Roscoe’s such a fool he’d probably quit speaking to me.  But it’s true!  Just you watch her; that’s all I ask.  Just you watch that woman.  You’ll see!”