"'Don't you know?' she asked; 'don't you actually?'
"She worked him up almost into a fit. Goodness knows what fancy he got into his head.
"I have seen no one this morning,' he said; 'there were none of the family down when I went away. Where has Jessie gone?'
"Then she pretended to back out; she had been wrong—it was doubtless an innocent little secret of Jessie's—she ought not to have spoken—she was so frank and indiscreet—she would rather bite her tongue off than tell what Jessie wanted kept private, and all that. He grew white as death; you know nothing makes him so mad as to think there's any mystery in the house, or anything going on he don't understand.
"'Mrs. Dennison,' says he, 'if you won't speak, I must go to my wife.'
"'Don't, don't,' she said; 'she is so feeble; don't agitate her.'
"'Then tell me yourself,' says he.
"Then she went all through the old performance, but at last it came out—Jessie had gone to visit Mr. Bosworth in his sick-room. Lord, how mad he was! She told him you was with her, said she didn't blame Jessie, guessed it was all one of your old-maidish romances, and made him furious against you."
"How did it end?" I asked.
"It didn't really have no end; some man called him off on business. Just then you and Miss Jessie came up the steps, and I cut round here to tell you. Babylon—she sat down to the piano, and went to playing a jig; she likes the fun. I tell you she's all right when there's a row. But I'm going to Mrs. Lee; she must want to get up by this time. You're in a hobble, Miss Hyde—a precious hobble—was sure you would be. You playing a game with her—the idea!"