"Yes," said Madame Coralie, in her harsh voice, and peering at the young man anxiously, "I gave you permission to tell him. But mind you hold your tongue, Mr. Shawe." Then, without waiting for a reply, she turned to Audrey: "What is the matter that you come here at this hour?" "My father has turned me out of the house, Aunt Flora, and I come to you for shelter," said Audrey, rapidly. "I have nowhere to go." Madame Coralie clutched her yashmak and stamped her foot. When she spoke her voice was almost inarticulate with rage. "Do you mean to say that Joseph has dared to turn you from your home at this hour?" "Yes." And Audrey, assisted by Shawe, rapidly related all that had taken place, although they both suppressed, for obvious reasons, any account of the suspicions they entertained on the evidence of Parizade's keen sense of smell. "So you see," ended the girl, with a sob, "that unless you take me in I have no place to shelter my head." "My dear!" Madame Coralie made as though to catch her niece in her arms, but checked herself abruptly. "Of course you shall stay here as long as you like. But Badoura told me you had come from the theatre." "My excuse for this midnight visit," said Ralph, quickly; "and now, Madame, you must invent some reason for Audrey stopping here for the night." "Oh, that is easy enough"--she stepped back and looked at the slender figure of the girl, scarcely visible in the dim light--"you are too thin, Miss Branwin, and you wish me to treat you." "Will Badoura accept that excuse?" asked Audrey, timidly. "Yes," said Madame, bluntly; "she will accept any excuse that I like to give her. If she doesn't she loses her situation. Don't trouble, Miss--" "Why don't you call me Audrey, Aunt Flora?" "Because I don't want the relationship known," said the woman, promptly; "it is just as well, therefore, that I should call you Miss Branwin. But we can't stay talking here all night. Go away, Mr. Shawe, and don't come here again until I give you permission." "But I want to see Audrey." "You can do so when she walks in Kensington Gardens as usual," replied Madame Coralie, sharply; "but if you come here people will talk, and the quieter this business is kept the better it will be for everyone." "But if papa talks"--began Audrey, only to be cut short. "Papa won't talk," said Madame Coralie, in a hard, dry voice. "He will have quite enough to occupy his mind in marrying Miss Rosy Pearl--that is, if he ever does marry the creature." "Madame"--Ralph started forward--"what do you mean?" "Never mind; go away at once." Madame unlocked the door. "It is too late to chatter, and Miss Branwin looks quite worn out." Shawe admitted the truth of this speech, and after a farewell embrace, at which Madame Coralie looked benignly, he took his leave. When the door was once more closed, Audrey followed her aunt up the stairs to the still-room, wherein the four assistants were working.