"What is it, Simon?" she asked quietly.
For answer, still with averted eyes, he handed her the paper.
It was folded in such a manner as to exhibit an article surrounded by a blue line. The article was a short amusing account of the incident of the day before, and in it the frightened monkey and all the odd paraphernalia of the inventor's workshop played an important part. Barring the headline "Jeweller's Wife hastens to protect Invention of Young Genius," there was nothing even remotely offensive in it.
"Well?" she remarked, after running her eye over the article; then she returned the paper.
For answer he twisted it into a ball and flung it from him. "I will ask you to remember hereafter," he said, speaking so rapidly that he stammered, "the dignity of the name you bear. I do not relish having it exploited in this way."
"But what else could I do, Simon? Should I have sat there calmly and allowed that man to steal Emil's idea?"
"Emil!" he repeated, flushing with indignation. "Is the protection of that—that device of more importance to you than the protection of my dignity? You considered St. Ives, I grant that: that was to be expected. But you did not consider me."
"I considered you all—-Emil, the Company, you, everyone; and what I did was absolutely right, absolutely! I insist upon it."
"For a lady your action was an unbecoming one," he declared icily.
She gazed upon him with flashing eyes from under contorted brows.