"He'll wonder. How can we satisfy him? What can I do?"
"You had better write to him. Tell him that after to-night it's impossible for you to stay. Only … only please don't mention me."
"It will kill him…."
"Or save him. It's the only thing that you can do."
"I'll write it now."
She went over to the writing table in the window, and there, with streaming eyes, she wrote her letter. It took her a long time to do, and when she had finished she brought it with the envelope to Mrs. Payne.
"Do you want to read it?" she asked.
"No … Of course I trust you."
"Thank you." She fastened the envelope and addressed it. "I feel as if
I were dead," she said.
"You're young," said Mrs. Payne.