She did not look at Jack, but, completely ignoring him, addressed herself to Zuleika with what seemed to be a direct challenge; in that feminine eye-grapple there was a quick, instinctive, and final struggle between the two women.

The stranger triumphed.

Zuleika's vacant smile changed to one of submission, and then, equally ignoring her brother in this double defeat, she hastened to the kitchen to do the visitor's bidding.

The woman closed the door behind her, and took Zuleika's place before the fire.
"Well ?" she said, in a half-contemptuous toleration.
"Well ?" said Jack, in an equally ill-disguised discontent, but an evident desire to placate the woman before him.

"It's all right, you know.