Herbert’s guests rose and looked at him in profound astonishment and indignation. “But you told us--” cried Mrs. Atkinson Brown. Herbert Heywood gave a queer groan of anger and horror. “Bail her out!... Oh, my God!” He sank down into his chair and held his head in his hands. CHAPTER III Herbert Heywood was in the depths of an arm-chair reading the paper. Mrs. Heywood was on the other side of the fireplace with a book on her lap. But she was dozing over it, and her head nodded on to her chest. Herbert turned over the leaves of the paper and then studied the advertisements. He had a look of extreme boredom. Every now and then he yawned quietly and lengthily. At last he let the paper fall on to the floor, and uttered his thoughts aloud, so that his mother was awakened. “Did you say anything, Herbert?” said the old lady. “Nothing, mother, except that I am bored stiff.” He went over to the piano and played “God Save the King” with one finger, in a doleful way. Mrs. Heywood glanced over her spectacles at him. “Would you like a game of cribbage, dear?” “No, thanks, mother,” said Herbert hastily. “Not in the afternoon.” Mrs. Heywood listened to his fumbling notes for a moment and then spoke again. “Won’t you go out for a walk? It would do you good, Herbert.” “Think so?” said Herbert bitterly; without accepting the suggestion, he played “Three Blind Mice,” also with one finger. It sounded more melancholy than “God Save the King.” “I don’t like to see you moping indoors on a bright day like this,” said Mrs. Heywood. “Take a brisk walk round the Park. It would cheer you up.” Herbert resented the idea fiercely. “A long walk in Battersea Park would make a pessimist of a laughing hyena.” Mrs. Heywood was silent for some time, but then she made a last effort. “Well, go and see a friend, dear. The Atkinson Browns, for instance.” “They do nothing but nag at each other,” said Herbert. “And Atkinson Brown hasn’t as much brains as a Teddy Bear. Besides, he’s become friendly with that fellow Hargreaves, and I’m not going to take the risk of meeting a man who turned me out of my job.” Mrs. Heywood became agitated. “Are you sure of that, Herbert? I can’t think he could have been so malicious, after coming here and eating your salt, as it were. What was his reason?” “He made no disguise of it,” said Herbert bitterly. “I saw his letter to my chief. Said that it was quite impossible to employ a man who was mixed up with the militant Suffragettes. Damned liar!” “Good Heavens!” said Mrs. Heywood. “Of course it was all due to that ghastly evening when Clare got arrested. She knows that well enough.” “Well, dear,” said Mrs. Heywood, “she has tried to make amends. The shock of your losing your place has made her much more gentle and loving. It has brought back all her loyalty to you, Herbert.” “Loyalty!” said Herbert. “Where is she now, I should like to know?” “She is gone to some committee meeting.”