"Yes," she answered; "I--I--wanted to speak to you." "What had you to say?" he asked, stopping before her, but not sitting down. It did not occur to her, in her state of trepidation, that the obvious abstraction and coldness of his manner might be the result of causes that she did not know. She at once leaped to the conclusion that he had realized she had made Viola's acquaintance in some underhand way, and that he was now bitterly incensed with her. "I wanted to explain to you how--how--I came to know Viola Reed." The remark dispelled all his indifference in an instant. The sudden concentrating of his attention upon her in a piercing look and a sharp, penetrating fixity of observation added a hundredfold to Letitia's agitation. "I--I--knew you'd be angry and probably misunderstand. You're always so--so reticent and queer about your own affairs. I didn't see any harm in trying to know Miss Reed. It was better, anyway, than letting Maud go, and she was so set upon it." Letitia raised her eyes pleadingly, then dropped them quickly. His were blazing. But it was too late to go back now. He took a chair, drew it up before her, and sat down. "Just explain to me what you mean," he said quietly. "You and Maud have been trying to make the acquaintance of Miss Reed--is that it?" "We did more than try. We did it--I did it. I wouldn't let Maud. I was afraid she'd do something. Maud sometimes hasn't got as much tact--as much tact as she ought to have." "How did you do it?" "I just went there." "You went there? You went into that lady's house--intruded, without invitation or acquaintance--forced your way in as if you were a peddler? I can't believe that of you, Letitia. You had some excuse for going there." Letitia rose to her feet. She did it unconsciously. "I didn't exactly intrude; though I'll tell you the truth, John--I'll not hide anything. I do think it was mean. I thought it after I got in and saw how--how poor and miserable everything was. I felt mortified at what I'd done. I wouldn't have gone in the beginning if I'd thought it was as bad as that. But I had an excuse. I bought jam and four plants. That's one of them on the stand." "Bought jam and plants! What are you talking about? I don't understand you." "She sells them,--jam and plants,--and I bought three dozen pots and four plants." "You went there and bought these things from her in her own house?" "Yes," Letitia answered, and went on helplessly, in order to say something: "Four plants for two dollars. It was very cheap." There was a moment's pause. Then the man said in a suppressed voice: "You patronized her in her poverty--pried into her home, bought things from her, gave her money! Good God!" He dropped his voice and turned away, unable to finish. Letitia came toward him. She knew that in this interview the happiness of her life was at stake, and yet that she must be true to herself.