The minute I had consented I regretted it. After all, what were Jimmy's

troubles to me? Why should I help him impose on an unsuspecting elderly

woman? And it was only putting off discovery anyhow. Sooner or later,

she would learn of the divorce, and--Just at that instant my eyes fell

on Mr. Harbison--Tom Harbison, as Anne called him. He was looking on

with an amused, half-puzzled smile, while people were rushing around

hiding the roulette wheel and things of which Miss Caruthers might

disapprove, and Betty Mercer was on her knees winding up a toy bear that

Max had brought her. What would he think? It was evident that he thought

badly of us already--that he was contemptuously amused, and then to have

to ask him to lend himself to the deception!

With a gasp I hurled myself after Jimmy, only to hear a strange voice in

the hall and to know that I was too late. I was in for it, whatever was

coming. It was Aunt Selina who was coming--along the hall, followed by

Jim, who was mopping his face and trying not to notice the paralyzed

silence in the library.

Aunt Selina met me in the doorway. To my frantic eyes she seemed to

tower above us by at least a foot, and beside her Jimmy was a red,

perspiring cherub.

"Here she is," Jimmy said, from behind a temporary eclipse of black

cloak and traveling bag. He was on top of the situation now, and he was

mendaciously cheerful. He had NOT said, "Here is my wife." That would

have been a lie. No, Jimmy merely said, "Here she is." If Aunt Selina

chose to think me Bella, was it not her responsibility? And if I chose

to accept the situation, was it not mine? Dallas Brown came forward

gravely as Aunt Selina folded over and kissed me, and surreptitiously

patted me with one hand while he held out the other to Miss Caruthers. I

loathed him!

"We always expect something unusual from James, Miss Caruthers," he

said, with his best manner, "but THIS--this is beyond our wildest

dreams."

Well, it's too awful to linger over. Anne took her upstairs and into

Bella's bedroom. It was a fancy of Jim's to leave that room just as

Bella had left it, dusty dance cards and favors hanging around and a

pair of discarded slippers under the bed. I don't think it had been

swept since Bella left it. I believe in sentiment, but I like it brushed

and dusted and the cobwebs off of it, and when Aunt Selina put down her

bonnet, it stirred up a gray-white cloud that made her cough. She did

not say anything, but she looked around the room grimly, and I saw her

run her finger over the back of a chair before she let Hannah, the maid,

put her cloak on it.




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