"Well, yes; in other people. At any rate in your charming sex. Alice is very religious. And I like it very much. In fact, I have a good deal of feeling about it. I wouldn't do anything to--to shock her, you know. I really am perfectly sincere about that, Helena." He was sincere; he looked at her with an anxiety that for once was quite simple. "That's why I wrote you as I did about the future. I am greatly embarrassed about Alice." She caught her breath at the suddenness of his reference, but she knew him well enough not to be much surprised. If a disagreeable topic was to be discussed, the sooner it was taken up and disposed of, the better. That was Lloyd's way. "Of course," he went on, "if Alice knew of our--ah, acquaintance, it would shock her. It would shock her very much." He paused. "Alice's great charm is her absolute innocence," he added thoughtfully. That comment was like a blow in the face. Helena caught her breath with the shock of it. But she could not stop to analyze its peculiar terror. "Alice needn't know," she began--but he made an impatient gesture. "If we married, it would certainly come out." He was standing with his back to the fire, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his cigar; he blew three smoke rings, and smiled. "Will you let me off, Nelly?" "I know you don't love me," she broke out passionately-- "Oh, now, Helena, not a scene, please! My dear, I love you as much as ever. You are a charming woman, and I greatly value your friendship. But I can love you just as much, not to say more, if you are here in your own house in Old Chester, instead of being in my house in Philadelphia. Why, it would be like sitting on a volcano!" "I cannot stay in Old Chester any longer," she said; "dreadful things have happened, and--" "What things? You said that before. Do explain these mysterious allusions." "Mr., Wright's son," she began--and then her voice broke. But she told him as well as she could. Mr. Pryor gave a frowning whistle. "Shocking! Poor Nelly!" "You see, I must go away," she said, wringing her hands; "I can't bear it!" "But, my dear," he protested, "it wasn't your fault. You were not to blame because a rash boy--" Then a thought struck him, "but how the devil did he discover--?" When Helena explained that she supposed old Mr. Wright had told his grandson, Pryor's anger broke out: "He knew? How did _he_ find out?" Helena shook her head; she had never understood that, she said. Lloyd's anger always confused her, and when he demanded furiously why she had not told him about the old fool--"he'll blazon the whole thing!"--she protested, quivering, that Mr. Wright would not do that. "I meant to tell you, but I--I forgot it. And anyway, I knew he wouldn't; he said he wouldn't; besides, he had a stroke when he heard about Sam, and he hasn't spoken since. And Dr. King--" she winced--"Dr. King says it's the beginning of the end."