saw each other, and they both passed on without speaking: I was very
sorry--yes. I thought they were friends--I thought Mr. Ingram knew
Mrs. Lavender even before you did; but they did not speak to each
other, not one word."

Lavender was in one sense pleased to hear this. He liked to hear that
his wife was obedient to him. But, he said to himself with a sharp
twinge of conscience, she was carrying her obedience too far. He had
never meant that she should not even speak to her old friend. He would
show Sheila that he was not unreasonable. He would talk to her about
it as soon as he got home, and in as kindly a way as was possible.

Mosenberg did not play billiards, but they remained late in the
billiard-room, Lavender playing pool, and getting out of it rather
successfully. He could not speak to Sheila that night, but next
morning, before going out, he did.

"Sheila," he said, "Mosenberg told me last night that you met Mr.
Ingram and did not speak to him. Now, I didn't mean anything like
that. You must not think me unreasonable. All I want is, that he shall
not interfere with our affairs and try to raise some unpleasantness
between you and me, such as might arise from the interference of even
the kindest of friends. When you meet him outside or at any one's
house, I hope you will speak to him just as usual."

Sheila replied calmly, "If I am not allowed to receive Mr. Ingram
here, I cannot treat him as a friend elsewhere. I would rather not
have friends whom I can only speak to in the streets."

"Very well," said Lavender, wincing under the rebuke, but fancying