“I know. Dear Cousin Lucy, do listen. I should hate you not to go for your cruise.”

“She made me promise,” said Miss Lucy with a sob. “But I don’t really feel I ought to go, because-oh, my dear, you know Ross is turning me out.”

It was Lee’s turn to gasp. She said, “No!” and Miss Lucy said, “Oh, he is!” and gave another and a much louder sob.

“Ross Craddock is turning you out? Cousin Lucy, he can’t!”

“He says he can. He says there was nothing in the will. He says he wouldn’t turn Mary out, but now she’s gone he wants to throw the three flats into one, and he says I’m quite able-bodied. He says I’ve got to go. I got the letter this morning.”

Lee stamped her foot so hard that she jarred the line.

“What a swine!” she said, and shocked Miss Lucy a good deal.

“Oh, my dear, I don’t think-”

“Well, I do! What put him up to it?”

Miss Lucy’s voice trembled.

“He says he wants the whole floor to himself-dear Mary’s flat, and his, and mine-and to throw them all into one. He says he wants more room. But I think it’s because I spoke to him about Mavis-I do indeed. He was so angry, and told me to mind my own business, but after all she is my niece, and I told him it wasn’t right and he was getting her talked about. And this morning I got his letter-such a horrible, cruel letter-”

Lee said, “Swine!” again, then added hastily, “What an ass Mavis is!”

“Oh, my dear!”

“She always was. But Ross Craddock-what on earth-she can’t like him!”

“Oh, I don’t know-he is a very handsome man. I feel I oughtn’t to go away, but I promised Mary-”