Presently she rallied. She ran to her own room and began dressing for the street. She felt that she must escape from the house in order to think. At all costs she must avoid Aunt Caroline until she had been able to untangle this dismaying snarl. A few minutes later she made certain of that by slipping down the rear staircase and leaving the house by a side entrance.
Fifteen minutes later she was at Nell's boarding-house, impatiently ringing the bell.
Nell was propped up in a rocker, looking very wan as Mary entered, but brightening as she recognized her visitor. Mary drew a chair and sat opposite.
"A most embarrassing thing has happened," she said. "I have just had Mrs. Rokeby-Jones on the telephone."
Nell stifled an exclamation.
"And she doesn't remember me—or you, rather—or anybody named Norcross!"
"Oh, my dear!"
"It's the truth, Nell. Oh, I never felt so queer in my life."
Nell moistened her lips and stared with incredulous eyes.