“Well, if it is,” he said gloomily, “we certainly don’t want to get mixed up in it. We don’t want to come into a new neighbourhood and get involved in a scandal—or even in gossiping about one. We must be careful not to say anything about this, Bella.” She looked away from him thoughtfully. “I suppose so, though of course these people aren’t friends of ours; they’re hardly acquaintances.” “No, but that’s all the more reason for our not appearing to be interested in their troubles. We’ll certainly be careful not to say anything about this, won’t we, Bella?” “Oh, I suppose so,” she returned absently. “Since the people are really nothing to us, though, I don’t suppose it matters whether we say anything or not.” “Oh, but it does!” he insisted, and then, something in her tone having caught his attention, he inquired: “You _haven’t_ said anything to any one about it, have you, Bella?” “What?” “You haven’t repeated to any one what the child told you, have you?” “Oh, no,” she said lightly. “Not to any one who would have any personal interest in it.” “Oh, my!” William exclaimed, dismayed. “Who’d you tell?” “Nobody that has the slightest interest in the Sullenders,” Bella replied, with cold dignity. “Nobody that cares the slightest thing about them.” “Well, then, what in the world did you tell ’em _for_?” “Why, to pass the time, I suppose,” Bella said, a little offended. “Cousin Ethel dropped in for a while this afternoon and the whole thing was so extraordinary I just sketched it to her. What are you making such a fuss about?” “I’m not,” he protested feebly. “But even if the thing’s true, we don’t want to get the name of people that gossip about their——” “Oh, my!” she sighed impatiently. “I’ve told you Cousin Ethel hasn’t the slightest personal interest in these people, and besides she’ll never repeat what I told her.” “Well, if she doesn’t, it’ll be the first time!” “Will, please!” “Golly, I hope it won’t get back to the Sullenders!” “Such horrible people as that, what difference would it make?” Bella demanded. “And how could it get back? Cousin Ethel doesn’t move in Sullender circles. Not precisely!” “No, but her close friend, Mrs. Howard Peebles, is the aunt of Mrs. Frank Deem and Frank Deem is Sullender’s business partner.” “Oh, a Realtor, is he?” Bella said icily. William returned to the lounge, but did not recline. Instead, he sat down and took his head in his hands. “I do wish you hadn’t talked about it,” he said gloomily.