“Look here, Sabina, you must pull yourself together, or else you stand a very good chance of bitching up our show altogether,” he answered calmly.  “This thing has got to be carried out by me, not you; and if you are not going to let me do it my own way, then so much the worse for both of us.  I won’t be dictated to by you, or anybody, and if you’re not contented to believe in me, then I can only say you’re making a big mistake and you’ll very soon find it out.”

“What are you going to do, then?” she asked, “and when are you going to do it?  I’ve a right to know that, I suppose?”

“To think you can talk in that tone of voice to me—­to me of all people!”

“To think you can force me to!  And now you’ll say you’ve seen things in me you never thought were there, and turn it over in your mind—­and—­and oh, it’s cowardly—­it’s cruel.  And you call yourself an honourable man and could tell me and swear to me only yesterday that I was more to you than anything else in the world!”

“D’you know what you’re doing?” he asked.  “D’you want to make me—­there—­I won’t speak it—­I won’t come down to your level and forget myself and say things that I’d break my heart to think of afterwards.  I must go now, or that girl will be wondering what the deuce has happened.  She’s told her father already that you weren’t happy or something; so I suppose you must have been talking.  I’ll come in this evening.  You’d better go home now as quick as you can.”

He left her abruptly and she sat down shaking on a stone seat, to prevent herself from falling.  Grief and terror shared her spirit.  She watched him hurry away and, after he was gone, arose to find her legs trembling under her.  She went home slowly; then thoughts came to her which restored her physical strength.  Her anger gave place to fear and her fear beckoned her to confide in somebody with greater power over Raymond than her own.

She returned to her mother, described her repulse and then declared her intention of going immediately to see Miss Ironsyde.  She concentrated her thoughts on the lady, of whom Raymond had often spoken with admiration and respect.  She argued with herself that his aunt would only have to hear her story to take her side; she told herself and her mother that since Raymond had feared to approach his aunt, Sabina might most reasonably do so.  She grew calm and convinced herself that not only might she do this, but that when Raymond heard of it, he would very possibly be glad that the necessity of confession was escaped.  His Aunt Jenny was very fond of him, and would forgive him and help him to do right.  Sabina found herself stronger than Raymond, and that did not astonish her, for she had suspected it before.

Her mother, now in tears, agreed with her and she started on foot for Bridport, walked quickly, and within an hour, reached the dwelling of the Ironsydes—­a large house standing hidden in the trees above the town.