Mrs. Suydam had run away with her plumber ... the interviews she gave out showed that it was our case mainly that had impelled her to launch forth in imitation ...
Others, in a wave of sex-radicalism, were running off together all about the country ...
But it was Mrs. Suydam's case that interested me and Hildreth most ... she was a dainty, pretty little slight thing, as Hildreth was—I could judge by her pictures....
"Hildreth," I urged, "let's drop Mrs. Suydam a note encouraging her ... she's probably without a friend in the world, she and her man ... they're trying to oust her from her flat ... she's being hounded about."
"My God, Johnnie dear, let's don't! ... they'll only give our letter to the papers ... let's let well enough alone once more ... the grocer boy passed me in the street to-day and didn't tip his hat to me."
I was sitting at Mrs. Rond's tea-table having afternoon tea with her. She had sent one of her girls over to the cottage to tell me she wished to see me "alone" ... "on a matter of great importance."
The cats, who had trailed her eldest daughter, Editha, across to our place, followed us back again with sailing tails in the air.
Mrs. Rond poured me a cup of strong tea.
"Drink that first, then I'll give you a little information that won't be so very agreeable to you."