“Georgie!” her mother reprimanded her, here on sure ground, “I cannot have such words used of God’s Holy Word!”

“Oh, well! Anyhow you can’t get over the contradiction, can you? And that’s only one of heaps. Now, what I say is …”

But no one was ever to hear this important saying of Georgie’s, for at the moment Aunt Georgina entered the room. Tight in her hand she carried a slip of greenish paper, and though her grip on herself was equally firm, even little Sholto knew instantly that she was the bearer of grave tidings. At her low-voiced, startlingly kind bidding, the children trooped out by the door she had left open. But before it had shut behind them they caught the magic word – cable, and were terrified by the even more unusual expression on their Aunt’s lips – My poor sister!”

Instinctively the four moved to the end of the passage and huddled close together there, like sheep before the storm breaks. Not a sound came from the little morning-room. Linnet durst not ask his sisters the questions about the cable that trembled on his lips.

It was thus that their Aunt found them when she came out again, softly closing the door after her as if upon a sick-room. On her proud face was a look none of them knew – a look of stricken passion that altered her and frightened them. Sholto had been among the few beings his sister had ever loved, and when they were boy and girl together she had been madly proud of him.

She laid her hand now on her young namesake’s shoulder.

“My poor children,” she said. “You will have to be very brave for your mother’s sake.”

Georgie was the only one to speak. The others seemed petrified. “It’s not anything wrong with Father?” she questioned. And on a rising key at her Aunt’s low reply, she cried out –

“No, no! … I won’t have it … I can’t bear it … I tell you it isn’t true! Father, Father! Let me go. Don’t touch me!”

There was horror for Joanna in the noise Georgie was making. Georgie’s voice sounded all over the house, while Aunt Georgina was so quiet. And how quiet it was in there where Mother was! With a quick movement the child broke from the others to run to her mother. But Aunt Georgina caught her by the arm, still gripping Georgie also.

“Control yourself, Georgie, and think of your mother,” she commanded with grievous severity; and her fingers felt like iron on the young flesh. “Remember you are the eldest. Think of how your father would wish you to behave.”

“I’ll try, I’ll try!” sobbed Georgie. “Don’t speak to me.” And presently their Aunt left them, telling them they might go to their mother.