"When mother is going to see father she looks the way I feel as if I looked when I'm going to the dentist--don't you know, you say to yourself, 'I wouldn't think twice about this if I were brave'--and then you think about it all the time. You know, mother doesn't think she tells us everything, but she really does, except about my father. And so, you see, if it's something about my father I always know, because mother's worried without saying why." This reasoning seemed sound to Pearl. She felt that in order to fulfill Anthony's instructions she must go to Mrs. Conway's assistance at once. She did not like to burst in upon them from the open windows of the sitting-room, and so ran round the house to the front door. A small, shabby automobile was standing in the circle, and as Pearl bounded up the steps a man came out quickly and got into it--a pale man, with long white hands and something of Durland's birdlike quality. She saw that she was too late. She went into the sitting-room. Mrs. Conway was standing in the middle of the room, supporting one elbow in one hand and two fingers of the other resting against her chin. She looked so white that every grain of rouge seemed to stand out--away from her cheeks. She turned her eyes coldly upon Pearl. "Well?" she said. Pearl had not thought at all what she was going to say, and blurted out, "Oh, Mrs. Conway, I thought you might need me! I thought I could help you if--Mr. Wood said----" Edna, rather to her own surprise, suddenly lost her temper. "I'm tired of being considered a perfect fool," she said. "Anthony! I know what Anthony thinks--that I'm always going to give Gordon all the children's money. As a matter of fact, I know better than anyone--though it isn't always very easy to say no, no, no, to a man who has been your husband and who insists if he had five dollars he could make a fortune; but I do say it--I always have--always--almost always. It's a little too much to be watched over and lectured by you, Miss Exeter." After which speech Mrs. Conway left the room. Luncheon was more than usually silent that day, although Edna attempted to take an interest in the children's morning, asking whether it had been pleasant in the water. "My goodness, mother," Antonia answered, "have you looked at the water? We'd certainly have been drowned if we'd gone in." After lunch was over Edna was obliged to address Miss Exeter directly. "I think you went off this morning without unlocking my safe," she said. "Oh, I'm sorry," said Pearl. Mrs. Conway smiled faintly. "It was quite what I expected--it always happens with safes," she said. "But now perhaps you will get me my pearls." Pearl went eagerly, and as she went she remembered that she had remembered to unlock the safe--just before she went to the beach with Antonia. Yes, as she thought, the safe was very slightly ajar. She took the long, slim, blue velvet case from its compartment and brought it to Mrs. Conway in the drawing-room.