The monosyllable was plainly a question, but he did not answer it. He merely took her hand and drew it within his arm and continued to stare meditatively at the boards at his feet. Driven to desperation by the thought of the shortness of her time, Nellie at length asked: “Was it very serious?” He looked at her. “Pretty serious, Nellie.” She felt frightened. “I don’t want to be too curious, but you must tell me. Are you in danger?” “I am in danger,” he answered, “of the only thing which at the moment I fear. I am in danger of having to leave you.” She withdrew her hand quickly, and stepped back. He made no effort to detain her. “Yes,” he said, “go back to Emmons, or we shall have him ramping out here to know what the matter is. I am going up to the Overtons’.” Nellie turned and went into the house. Emmons was sitting with his elbows on his knees, tapping his feet up and down so as to give a rocking motion to his whole body. He did not like being left alone. “And where is Bob?” he asked. “Gone out,” and Nellie added more candidly: “Gone to the Overtons’.” “Oh, of course, naturally,” retorted Emmons. “And may I ask who his visitor was?” “He did not tell me.” “He has gone, I suppose, to confide it to Louisa Overton.” Nellie looked at him quickly. She had not phrased the notion quite so clearly to herself, and yet it had been there. Bob had never mentioned Louisa Overton’s name, and yet his cousin could not be ignorant that he was at the Overtons’ house almost every day. She glanced at James. Would any one turn to James in a crisis? She thought all this before she became aware that he was saying: “I think we shall have to inquire into this a little more. There is something behind these constant visits to the Overtons’, if I am not very much mistaken. Why a clever man like Balby Overton allows it, is more than I can see. Is it possible that Miss Louisa can have taken a fancy to him? Is it possible that any decent girl could take a fancy to him?” There was a long pause. Perhaps Nellie was not listening, for he had to repeat his question before he got an answer. “Very possible, I should think.” The answer did not please Emmons. “Well, not so very possible,” he said contemptuously. “I am afraid the kind of man he is sticks out plainly enough. Inexperienced as she is, I fancy she can see his game--an heiress and so young. I should feel responsible if anything happened, unless I had said a word to Overton. Oh, yes, I know. You _suppose_ that he knows all about Bob’s record, but in a case as serious as this we have no right to suppose. It is somebody’s duty to speak plainly, and if you won’t do it, why, I will.” “I am the person to do it, if it must be done,” said Nellie. “I am not so sure of that. There are very pertinent little incidents in your cousin’s past which I hope you don’t know, but which you certainly could not repeat.” “I know quite enough, I’m afraid,” she answered, with a sigh.