"Perhaps he has a plan to extend his business," she said, committing the mistake of trying to explain.

He looked at her with an antagonistic eye.

"Sheila, I bet something's gone wrong between you two."

She protested in surprise.

"You haven't been cutting up, have you?" he continued angrily. "Doing anything to make him jealous?"

"Me? What could I do?" she answered. "I might as well live in a convent."

"How long is he going to be away?"

"I don't know."

"And he hasn't written?"