"Well, to depart from similes, the female contingency." "The female contingency?" "Yes, and the juvenile. You and Amy and Charlotte and Eddy." "What do you mean, Arthur?" "You are going down to Kentucky to the old place, to spend the winter with Aunt Catherine." "Aunt Catherine wrote you?" "Yes." "When?" "I got the letter day before yesterday." "She invited us?" "Yes, honey." "Not you?" "There was no reason why she should invite me." "Aunt Catherine never had any feeling for you." "Perhaps she has had as much as I deserve. You know I have, to put it frankly, rather broken the record of an honorable family for--" "For what?" "For honor, dear." Then Anna broke out, passionately. "I don't care! I don't care!" she cried. "I don't care what she thinks; I don't care what anybody thinks! I don't care what you do or don't do, you are the best man that ever lived, Arthur." She began to weep suddenly, feeling blindly for her handkerchief. Carroll pulled her head against his shoulder. "Dear," he whispered, "don't; you must not, darling, you are worn out. You are not well." "Arthur, are you sure--are you sure that you have not rendered yourself liable? Arthur, are you sure that they cannot arrest you for anything you have done this time?" "Quite sure, Anna." "You have looked out for that?" "Yes." "They can't arrest you?" "No. Anna, you are nervous." "Martin was impudent yesterday, when you were out, about his pay. He talked about going to a lawyer." Carroll made an impatient movement. "If he does not stop coming to you about it--" "He is afraid of you. Then Maria came and cried. She says she has lost her lover, because she did not have decent clothes to wear." "Anna, they shall not trouble you again. Don't, dear. Why, I never knew you to fret so before!" "I never did. I never minded it all so much before. I think I am ill. There is a dull pain all the time in the back of my neck, and I do not sleep at all well. Then my mental attitude seems suddenly to have changed. I was capable of defiance always, of seeing the humor in the situation, even if it was such an oft-repeated joke, and such a mighty poor one; but now, even if I start with a glimpse of the funny side of it, suddenly I collapse, and all at once I am beaten." Carroll stroked her graceful, dark head. "There is nothing for it but you must go, honey." "Arthur, I will not. It may be better for the others, but as for me, I will not." "Yes, you will, Anna, honey." "Arthur Carroll!" "You must, dear. Frankly, Anna, you know how I shall feel about parting with you all, but it will be a load off my mind. If a man is not able to care for his own, it is better for him and for them that they should go where they will be cared for."