‘I can’t remember what I told you,’ replied the woman sullenly.  ’There are no fools like old ones, they say, and you need not believe everything as though it is gospel truth.  There is not a man in the world worth all this worry.  Why don’t you give it up, Miss Etta?  Do you think Mr. Cunliffe will ever give you a thought?  I would be too proud, if I were a lady, to fling myself under a man’s feet.  Do you think he would like your crooked ways about Mr. Eric?’

’Hush, Leah! for pity’s sake, hush!  What makes you so cruel to me to-night?’

’Well now, look here, Miss Etta; I am not going to be hushed up when I choose to speak; and who is to hear us, I should like to know? only it is your guilty conscience that is always starting at shadows.  I mean to speak to you pretty plainly, for I am getting sick of the whole business.  You are playing fast and loose with me about that money.  Are you going to give it me or not?’

I drew a step nearer.  Leah had mentioned Eric’s name.  Was it not my duty,—­my bounden duty,—­for Gladys’s sake, for all their sakes, to hear what this woman had to say?  Would it be dishonourable to listen when so much was at stake?  Already I had been startled by a revelation that turned me cold with horror.  Miss Darrell was Gladys’s rival,—­her deadly, secret rival,—­and not one of us, not even Max, guessed at this unhealthy and morbid passion.  That such a woman should love my pure-minded, honourable Max!  I recoiled at the mere idea.

‘You are so impatient, Leah,’ returned the other reproachfully.  ’You know it is not easy for me to get the money.  Giles was complaining the other day that so much was spent in the housekeeping; he never thought me extravagant before, but he seemed to say that my personal expenses were rather lavish.  “You have twice as many gowns as Gladys,” he said:  “and, though I do not grudge you things, I think you ought to keep within your allowance."’

‘I can’t help all that, Miss Etta,’ and I could tell by the voice that the woman meant to be insolent.  ’A promise is a promise, and must be kept, and poor Bob must not suffer from your procrastinating ways.  You are far too slippery and shifty, Miss Etta; but I tell you that money I must and will have before this week is over, if I have to go to master myself about it.’

‘You had better go to him, then,’ with rising temper.  ’I don’t quite know what Giles will say about retaining you in his service when he knows you have a brother at Millbank.  A servant with a convict-brother is not considered generally desirable in a house.’  But Leah broke in upon this sneering speech in sudden fury:  even in my disgust at this scene I could not but marvel at Miss Darrell’s recklessness in rousing the evil spirit in this woman.

’You to talk of my poor Bob being in Millbank, who ought to be there yourself!’ she cried, in a voice hoarse and low with passion.  ’Are you out of your senses, Miss Etta, to taunt me with poor Bob’s troubles?  What is to prevent me from going to master now and saying to him—­’