But what ?" Again came the voice from the telephone, and again she clenched her hands.

"How did you make Amy take you for a friend?
Oh, what difference does it make ?" But it did make a difference.

The presence of Fanny got on her nerves; and when a little later two of the dinner guests arrived, to exclaim and pity and offer their help, she faced them and thought: "You're all alike! You're all just hard and over-dressed! You're cheap! Oh, please--please go away!" The two visitors seemed glad enough to find she did not want them here, that she was not going to cling to them and make this abyss she was facing a region they must face by her side.

In their eyes again she caught the look she had seen on the face of the doctor.

"After all, this is not my affair." The two women left her.