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36 Dead Men's Shoesbecame more pronounced, in spite of theweariness that was expressed by every line"Will you really forgive me?" sheasked after a moment.of her inert figure. "Above everything, "Forgive you! Will you forgive me,one must be careful of one's manners." dearest? I've been a fool and a beast,Lloyd turned in his nervous stride and and I've been well paid for it."glanced at her suspiciously. It would be "And will you take me home as soon asabsurd of them to drift into a discussionof manners when there was nothing aheadJack is well?""No, I won't—not till all of us havebut divorce. Their eyes met for an instant,had a good holiday. I've changed mythen his were turned away. "It mind about several matters. Besides,isn't a question of manners, but of somethingI've got the mills where they can run onmore important," he declared se­their own impetus for a bit. I'll tele­verely. "You run away with the children,graph this afternoon."and hide; then, just as soon as you " It's rather funny. I mean, don't youget into a hole, you send for me in hot think it's rather funny—all of it together?"haste. What do you call that?"Edith ventured."Very naughty, I'm afraid. But I Still clasped in one another's arms, theyonly did it for your good, David. You shook with laughter.said you were sick of me. I ought to have "But what about that money?" Lloydtold you where I'd gone; I acknowledge asked, straightening up. "That's the absurdestthat."thing that has happened.""I didn't say I was sick of you. How "I can't imagine. But it isn't a joke,can you, Edith ? I may have said I was David. I ought to have money doledsick of the situation, and I was." out to me, dollar by dollar. I'm not"So was I. You were working yourselfto be trusted with a bank-account."to death, and all the time bothering Mrs. Lloyd was very penitent. "Therebecause I took it for granted that we wouldn't be any way for me to lose it,might just as well live on Jack's money as would there?"Agatha's. Isn't that true? I've thought "Let me think," he answered her. "Ifit all out since I came down here." the money isn't really in the bank, you"I suppose it has some truth," said must somehow have failed to put it in.Lloyd reluctantly. He was unwilling to Are you sure you deposited your quarterlyadmit the complete accuracy of the diagnosis,cheque from the mills ? You had one,but he couldn't deny the logic of the you know, about a month ago."statement."Oh, David!" Edith Lloyd hid her"Well, it isn't quite true that I came face on his shoulder in confusion. "I believeaway altogether for your good, Davidthat must be the trouble. I remem­dear," she went on. "I was angry, and ber now. I was intending to deposit it,I didn't understand. I've learned a lot and I must have left it in my desk when Iof things since, and I've missed you—oh, came away. I entered it in my chequebook,most dreadfully. and then forgot. I couldn't do it again,Wasn't it dread­even for you. I telegraphed partly becauseful of me!"Jack had frightened me—poor boy! "The cheque won't spoil." Lloyd—and partly because I couldn't stand it laughed again. It was singularly easy towithout you any longer. And I was pennilesslaugh. "Don't bother about it. I'llbesides," she ended ruefully. "I straighten things out. When am I to seecouldn't go home."the children, do you suppose?"David Lloyd stood before her, perplexed."Oh, my dear, I didn't think to tellHis mistrust and soreness of you. Agatha is out with Jane, but she'llheart had suddenly vanished. He be in soon now. Jane has been very goodcouldn't remain suspicious of poor dead about poor Jack. I think he'll wake beforeBob Haskins in the presence of a livinglong, and he'll be uproariously gladEdith; but he did not quite know what to see you, even if he is rather weak."to say. Then their eyes met again. The There was a gentle knock on the door ofalchemy of contact had accomplished its the adjoining room. Lloyd went to open it.work. Without a word, he dropped to The trained nurse had come to say thather side and clasped her in his arms. Jack was calling insistently for his father.