He told me that Sir Oliver had gone and Wigram--his man, you know--too." "But Stokes didn't see either of them?" "No. They must have walked on together, and got into the car when it came up. Only just then I remembered that I'd found the front door unlocked and had meant to scold Barber for being so careless. It had gone out of my head till then." She paused a moment. "Did you see her last night? She wanted to see you--asked where you'd gone, you know." "Yes; she came to me in the smoking-room." "Did she say anything that sounded like--like----?" He waited a while before he answered the unfinished question. "She said nothing about this morning." "But did she say----?" Arthur nodded his head. "Oh then, it's quite clear!" said Judith. "I didn't think she meant to go this morning. I was to go. We said good-bye." "She has gone, though. I'm sure of it. Well, I've thought she would for some time past, so I don't quite see why I've been crying. How could we help it? Could we give her what she wanted? Could Godfrey? Could I? Could you? Margaret was the only chance, but poor little Margaret's--well, Margaret! She wasn't enough to keep her." She rose from her seat. "Well, I'll go, because you must get up." Arthur paid no heed. "I think it's because of me that she's gone this morning," he said slowly. "Why? Did you quarrel? Did you talk about--about Sir Oliver?" "Yes, at first. Then I told her I was in love with her." She raised her hands and let them fall in a gesture of despairing irritation. "In love, in love! Oh, I've had enough of it for the present! Get up, Arthur!" "Yes, I'll get up--get up and clear out," he said in sullen bitterness. "I'll go back to work; that's the best thing I can do. I meant to go this morning, anyhow." She had moved towards the door, but she stopped now, facing him, between bed and door. "You mean that you're going away--now--this morning?" He nodded his head. She waited a moment and then smiled. "Oh, well, I think I'll come too. After all, it won't be very lively here, will it?" He started in surprise. "You go? You couldn't think of that, Judith? Why, what's little Margaret to do? And Godfrey? Oh, you can't go!" "Why can't I? I'm a Lisle, aren't I? I'm a Lisle, just as much as you and Godfrey! Why aren't I to behave as a Lisle then--go to bed or run away when things get difficult and uncomfortable? I rather wish I had a real man to run away with--like Bernadette!" "God help him if you had!" growled Arthur, to whom the insinuation was not grateful. "That's better! You have got a bit of a fight somewhere in you," she mocked. "And anyhow--get up!" "Well, I'm going to--if you'll clear out, and be----" "And be damned to me? Yes, I know! You can say that as often as you like, but you've got to help me to face this business. You've got to be the Man of the Family!" She smiled rather scornfully. "It's the least you can do, if you really did try to make love to Bernadette."