384 The Real Charlotte, 



to be ! There was a time you wouldn't have done this to 

 me, you know it damned well, and so do I. You were glad 

 enough to do anything for me then, so long as I'd be as 

 much as civil to you, and now, I suppose, this is your dirty 

 devilish spite, because you were cut out by someone else ! " 



She did not flinch as the words went through and through 

 her. 



" Take care of yourself ! " she said, grinning at him, 

 " perhaps you're not the one to talk about being cut out ! 

 Oh, I don't think ye need look as if ye didn't understand 

 me. At all events, all ye have to do is to go home and ask 

 your servants — or, for the matter of that, anyone in the 

 streets of Lismoyle — who it is that's cut ye out, and made 

 ye the laughing-stock of the country ? '* 



She put her hand on the dusty beam beside her, giddy 

 with her gratified impulse, as she saw him take the blow 

 and wither under it. 



She scarcely heard at first the strange and sudden sound 

 of commotion that had sprung up like a wind in the 

 house opposite. The windows were all open, and through 

 them came the sound of banging doors and running foot- 

 steps, and then Norry's voice screaming something as she 

 rushed from room to room. She was in the kitchen now, 

 and the words came gasping and sobbmg through the open 

 door. 



** Where's Miss Charlotte? Where is she? O God! 

 O God ! Where is she ? Miss Francie's killed, her neck's 

 broke below on the road ! O God of Heaven, help us ! " 



Neither Charlotte nor Lambert heard clearly what she 

 said, but the shapeless terror of calamity came about them 

 like a vapour and blanched the hatred in their faces. In a 

 moment they were together at the window, and at the same 

 instant Norry burst out into the yard, with outflung arms 

 and grey hair streaming. As she saw Lambert, her strength 

 seemed to go from her. She staggered back, and, catching 

 at the door for support, turned from him and hid her face in 

 her cloak. 



FINIS, 



PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY 

 THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, ABERDEEN 



