This was the part of the tale which James told so fluently. Admittedly, that last long sentence smacked of rhetorical effect. It could hardly have been entirely impromptu. Nevertheless, it rolled Posy in the dust. She became horribly conscious of rushing in where angels might fear to tread. Indeed, that hackneyed quotation occurred to her. She ejaculated, "Oh!" for the second time, and blushed piteously. James rose to his feet. He spoke politely: "I see that I have distressed you, and I am very sorry; but you asked me." "I, too, am sorry," said Posy earnestly. "I am most awfully sorry. I wish I could say the right thing, but I feel rather a fool." "The right thing for me to say, Miss Quinney, is good-bye. I shall go to Lulworth this afternoon." "But why should you go? I don’t understand. Are you going on our account?" "On my own." Another transfixing shaft. Posy was too honest to misinterpret this calm statement. Secretly she was thrilled by it; delicious shivers crept up and down her spine. For the first time she became supremely conscious of her power over a man. At that moment she turned from a jolly girl into a woman. It touched her to fine issues. In a low, tremulous voice she faltered: "You know best." James raised his hat and went. *IV* Half an hour later Susan had the story, with reserves, from Posy’s lips. Are we to blame the girl because she left out the climax? At any rate, her conscience remained clear. She could not betray a sacred confidence. Susan was not vastly interested, as a wiser mother might have been. She accepted James’s departure with a certain smug satisfaction which exasperated her daughter. She was sure that father would approve. Posy said sharply: "But, mummie, daddy couldn’t object to our being decently civil to Mr. Miggott?" "He might." "But why—why?" "Father is so ambitious for you, child. Any gallivanting about with his foreman——" "Gallivanting! Who spoke of gallivanting? Mr. Miggott is a gentleman. You like him and respect him. So do I. The word ’gallivanting’ sounds so housemaidy, so merry-go-roundy." "Oh, well, my dear, I’m glad the young man has gone, that’s all."