“Is Mrs. Winter in the kitchen?” Nannie inquired of the negress. “No, Miss Nannie. She done went out de back way. I ’specs she’s over to Mis’ Hamilton’s.” “Oh, John, if there was anything else I could do I wouldn’t need to leave you,” faltered Nannie sadly after Katy had returned to the kitchen. “I was driven to this because Lucy has made no other course possible!” “Driven to it!” echoed John savagely. “Lucy’s got nothing to say about it! What did you say to make that fellow send you such a telegram?” “Nothing, John.” Nannie gazed at him with swimming eyes. He rumpled his hair viciously. “You dear boy,” she murmured with tears in her voice. John look at her sceptically. His lip quivered slightly. “Really, didn’t you fix this thing up, Nannie?” he asked with a wounded, distrustful air. “I never believed you’d lead me on into thinking things were getting better while you were planning to----” He could say no more. He crumpled his napkin into a ball and turned his face away, placing one hand to his eyes. “John!” Nannie reproached, “do you suppose it’s been easy for me to seem lighthearted when I realized that I must give up--so much--that which means so much to me?” “Then why not cut it out? You must cut it out! It’s absurd! It’s ridiculous! I won’t believe it. Why only this morning---- I don’t see how you can torture me like this, Nannie. You know you’ve come here to stay with us always. Why you’re a part of my home--part of my life, Nannie! Do you think I’m going to submit to all this tamely, to please Lucy! She’ll find out I’m not the weak, soft proposition she imagines. We’ll fight it out and see who’s running things in this house. Never you fear, Nannie, I won’t have you shoved out in the street. We’ll stand together and Lucy can rant and rave all she pleases. By God, I won’t have it! I’ll fight it to the last ditch! You’re her own mother, and if she doesn’t realize that she owes anything to you, _I_ do, and I’ll make her--make her stand up to her obligations whether she wants to or not. She’ll either accept my standards in this household or--if she’s going to have me she’s got to--I’m the master here whether she likes it or not! She evidently thought when she married me that I was a man without any backbone, exactly the opposite of Jim Sprague! I’ll show her! I’ll show her, I tell you! She shan’t tear you away from me, Nannie! She----” Almost inarticulate with angry emotion, he was striding up and down the room. He halted near Nannie’s chair, clenching and unclenching his fists as he stared away from her. “John, dear,” Nannie’s voice was subdued, “we must talk reasonably.” He snorted. “I suppose that means bend to Lucy’s will!” he interjected bitterly. Nannie was patient.