"I—I never thought!" sobbed Eva, clinging closer, her blond head on Rachel's breast.
"You should think," sternly; "you're not a child, and you know what any evil-minded person would think. They don't know you as I know you; they won't believe in your innocence. And Johnstone? Eva, what did you tell him?"
Eva trembled. "He was dreadful, Rachel. I—I nearly died of fright. He—oh, I know he'll kill Belhaven!"
"He'll do nothing of the sort; it would make for scandal. Eva, you must prove your innocence to him. He has every right to judge you harshly; you've deeply wronged him in your heart, you've no right to expect much mercy. You've imperiled your good name. Eva, Eva, why will you be so foolish? Is mere admiration worth your reputation? How few husbands would ever forgive you! How, can you expect Johnstone to forgive you?"
"He won't, he h-hates me—I was afraid for my life! I never saw him like that before. Rachel, I—oh, God, Rachel, I've done something dreadful to you!"
She sank lower, clasping Rachel's knees, shaken with sobs, a picture at once lovely and pitiful. Her sister, watching her, felt her own heart sink lower; a shuddering premonition of evil shot through her and she trembled.
"Eva, what is it? Tell me—"
"Rachel, I—I told him it was you and Jim; t-that I was trying to save your reputation."
There was a silence. In that silence the thing grew monstrous.
At last it became intolerable. The only sound was Eva's weeping; her sister did not stir, she did not seem to breathe. Eva, stricken with a great fear, raised her head and met a look of such loathing that she cried out, clutching at Rachel's knees again. Rachel suddenly shook her off; she tore her skirt from Eva's detaining fingers, leaving a fragment of the lace behind, and stood free of her.