"No, I didn't write you--I abstained on purpose.

If I kept quiet I thought you mightn't hear over there what had happened.

If you should hear I was afraid you would stir up Mr.Dawling." "Stir him up ?" "Urge him to fly to the rescue; write out to him that there was another chance for him." "I wouldn't have done it," I said.
"Well," Mrs.Meldrum replied, "it was not my business to give you an opportunity." "In short you were afraid of it." Again she hesitated and though it may have been only my fancy I thought she considerably reddened.

At all events she laughed out.

Then "I was afraid of it!" she very honestly answered.
"But doesn't he know?
Has he given no sign ?" "Every sign in life--he came straight back to her.