“Oh, really? No?” she hissed at him.
He hesitated, slightly flustered by her accents of scorn and the angry flashing of her eyes. He had thought of her as submissive and ashamed, and prepared to show a proper gratitude to those who were rescuing her from the consequence of her folly. The bell no longer tinkled. It pealed—in long and short rhythm, loudly, without punctuation or pause. Howard dashed at the telephone and began a counter ringing to get Central’s ear.
“Central. This is Villa Rose. Mr. Howard speaking. This incessant ringing is becoming a nuisance. I must request you not to ring this number again to-night, no matter who asks for it.”
“Oh is that so?” Miss Potts snapped back at him. “I guess I’m to sit here forever wrapped round in gran’maw’s crazy quilt off my bed, which was the first thing handy when I had to grab somethin’ to run in here when that ringing first started to get the doctor. My! land! Nobody into our rooms has had a wink of sleep—maw, nor Susannah nor the dawg neither—he’s been growling somethin’ fierce. I’m going to switch every last one of them crazy subscribers on to your line, when they asks for it. If you think Maria Potts is the only person that’s going to be rung up and pestered you’re badly mistook. ’Twas Villa Rose’s line that started the ructions that’s got all Roseborough on the jig, and I figger on keepin’ you jest as busy as subscribers keeps me. At that, you’re fixed a lot more comfortable than I be. I’ll bet you’ve got more on to you than a crazy quilt.”
“Very well, Central,” harshly. “In that case, I shall leave the receiver off the hook.”
“You’re no gent’man!” she screamed at him.
Howard fulfilled his threat, notwithstanding, and returned to the downcast but disdainful lady on the settee.
“I was about to say that we must offer Mrs. Witherby a convincing explanation—thoroughly convincing. Therefore, I say, rely on me wholly and corroborate what I say.”
She gave him a long, cool glance and asked contemptuously:
“What of another woman’s reputation—which it is you who have injured? Why not protect her?”