Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/242

234 give fresh power to her tongue wagging, when the clock in the library tower struck six.

"Good gracious! Is that the time?" cried Dolly, springing up. "I've got to get home and dress and dine at the Criterion at seven. I'm going to the St. James's."

"Saved! Saved!" I murmured under my breath, and cried anxiously, "You'll never do it!"

"I shall! I must!" she cried, and shook hands hastily with Angel.

"I'll put you in a cab," I said, and went with her.

She began the attack before we were down the first flight of stairs.

"So this is how you keep your fine promises!" she said. "This is how you never look at another woman, is it? And live on the memory of me."

Plainly she remembered, with that painful accuracy in matters of sentiment which is the womanly gift, my many impassioned protestations at our parting, when I had been truly sorry to lose her, and I could have wished that they had been fewer and less impassioned, for I foresaw that after the lapse of eight months I should have great difficulty in reconstructing my tender mood.

However, I said gently, "Well, I didn't mean you to understand that I was going to play the hermit and deny myself all intercourse with my own family. My words didn't apply to relations."