"Mm!" Mrs. Milo, plainly gratified, seated herself in the rocker.
"If there's anything I can do for you, Miss Crosby, just ask me." Sue forbore looking at Farvel. She was pale again now, as if with weariness. But she smiled.
Clare did not even look round. Beside her was the canary, his shining black eyes keeping watch on the group of strangers as he darted from cage bottom to perch, or hung, fluttering and apprehensive, against the wires of his home. Clare lifted the cage to her knee and encircled it with an arm.
Balcome caught Sue's eye, made a comical grimace, and patted her on the arm. "As this seems to concern my girl," he explained, "I'm here to stay." He dropped into a chair by the hearth.
Sue went out.
Clare was quite herself by now. She disdained to look at anyone save
Farvel, and the smile she gave him over a shoulder was scornful.
"Well, shoot!" she challenged. "Let's not take all day."
"Why did you leave without a word?" he asked.
"You mean today?—I told you."
"I mean ten years ago."
"Well, if you want to know, I was tired of being cooped up, so I dug out."