Why the devil can't they live and let live ?" And he hesitated savagely between a pearl gray _and_ a black cravat.

Then he heard another step on the stairs.

It was much slower than Deborah's, and cautious and dogged, one foot lifted carefully after the other.

It was John, who had finished his kitchen supper and was silently making his way up through the house to his room at the top, there to keep out of sight for the evening.

And it came into Roger's mind that John had been acting in just this fashion ever since Edith had been in the house.
"We'll have trouble there, too!" he told himself, as he jerked the black satin cravat into place, a tie he thoroughly disliked.