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my illness. Stuff and nonsense! that's what I say."
Perhaps the fact that the girl looked so bonny as she uttered her belligerent words had something to do with Miss Galstin's being taken so wholly aback. She appealed to the gentleman,
"Mr. Stewart, what am I to say to her?"
The gentleman, who had possibly had enough of staring at nothing at all, twirling rapidly round, exclaimed:
"Ask her where those pearls are."
Catherine did not wait for the question to be repeated by the lady. She addressed the gentleman.
"Oh, that's it, is it? I thought it was something of the kind. I felt sure that neither of you would have come merely to pretend that you sympathised with me. Your conduct throughout has shown that you didn't care one pin's point whether I was alive or dead."
"You'll do me the justice to remember, Miss Fraser, that I did not suggest that you should come to New York. You were an eager volunteer. I did not hide from you that the journey involved considerable risk. You treated my warning lightly, hinting that the idea of risk rather attracted you than otherwise. That being so, I don't understand your present attitude. What cause of complaint have you against me, or against Miss Galstin?"
"I wish to have nothing to say to you of any sort or kind thank you very much."
The gentleman, quitting his position in front of the window, came striding towards the bed.
"That's all very well, but I have something to say to you we both of us have. I entrusted a certain charge to your keeping. You promised in the clearest possible language that you would take care of that charge and deliver it at a certain address by a certain day. As it has not been delivered, what has become of it, Miss Fraser?"
"What did the charge consist of?"
"You know perfectly well."
"I don't; that's untrue to your knowledge. I knew nothing."
The visitors seemed a little at a loss; they exchanged glances, asking each other questions with their eyes. Then t
