"She was queer? How, queer?"
"Oh, I don"t know. How can one describe things like that--just impressions one gets?"
"Did she strike you as queer because she"d perhaps read some of it?"
"Well, I understand it was private----"
"You mean she _must_ have read some of it to find that out?"
"I suppose so."
Again Louie had that curious crawling of her flesh. She hesitated for a moment; then, slowly:
"What sort of terms are you on with Mrs. Jeffries, Billy?"
Billy stared. "Oh, quite all right--I don"t understand----"
"Have you any influence over her?"
"What sort of influence?"
Louie hesitated again. After all, it might be only a fear. She went on. "Say influence enough to advise her about reading that journal, or novel, or whatever it is?"
"Lord, no!" said Billy. "I was his friend, hardly hers, you see."
"Well, if it could be put as a matter of friendship with him?" Louie was speaking almost feverishly now.
"I wish I knew exactly what you meant," said Billy.
"Order me another cup of coffee. That"s what I can"t tell you, because I don"t know myself. But let me ask another question. Do you happen to know whether there are any real names in this thing, whatever it is?"
"Really, I----"
"Just a moment. I"ll tell you why I asked. If this is a journal, and has names of people in it, the chances are mine"s there."
Billy was quick enough. He nodded. "I see; at least I think I see. You mean about his coming in that night and Mrs. Jeffries possibly not liking it? Well, to tell the truth I don"t think she did much. I could have bitten my tongue out when I"d told her; but I suppose everybody doesn"t look on these things quite as we do. You mean in a word--excuse me for putting it rather stupidly--that she"s jealous and thinks she can find out the truth? Supposing there was any "truth" to find out, I mean?"
"That"s the idea. Of course there was no "truth.""
"Well? Why not let her discover that and make her happy, poor thing?
You see, he was her husband."
Louie winced, but continued. "That"s all right as far as it goes; but if there"s one name there are probably others."
Billy looked sharply at her. "Other women? Jeffries? Don"t you believe it!"
"I didn"t say women."
"What then?"
"I can"t tell you. And perhaps I"m altogether wrong. But if I"m not wrong, Billy," she said earnestly, "and you"ve any interest in Mrs.
Jeffries at all--say interest enough to want to spare her a shock--she oughtn"t to be allowed to read that journal--always supposing it is a journal."
Billy gave a short laugh. "Really, Louie! Is this the Surrey or Sadlers Wells?... You"re not serious, are you? Of course it"s bound to be painful for her at the best, but she"s getting on very well--better than we could have hoped."
Louie made a little despairing gesture. "Well, I can"t tell you any more."
"Well, if it"s as important as all that, why don"t _you_ tell her?"
"I couldn"t do that either. Look here, Billy, couldn"t you find out about this for me?"
"Oh, dash it all--how can I?"
The saucer of Louie"s coffee cup was full of ashes; she added another b.u.t.t and reached for Billy"s case. She looked Billy full in the eyes as he struck a match for her.
"Do you go much to Iddlesleigh Gate?"
"Well, just at present, you see----"
"I mean, _could_ you go? Where does all this take place? In that library? (Yes, I"ve been once.)"
"Yes. At least that"s where we were that night."
Still Louie looked steadily into his eyes. "Now this really _is_ Surrey and Sadlers Wells," she said. "Could you get those papers out of her way--anyhow--so that she doesn"t read them?"
Billy twinkled a little. "It takes a woman to do these things, Louie."
"Suppose without asking any questions, if you did I"d--marry Roy?"
After all, to marry Roy would be no worse than anything else now.
The twinkle disappeared. Billy was grave again.
"I"d like you to marry Roy, Louie."
"Well ... is it a bet?"
But Billy only shook his head. This was all very well at the Surrey and Sadlers Wells, but----
"It"s a physical impossibility," he said. "And if it wasn"t, I wouldn"t."
"That"s final?" said Louie, looking into his eyes for the last time.
"My dear girl----"
Louie rose. "All right. Then we may as well get across to the Palace and see Marie Lloyd."
Could she have said more? She did not see that she could. The chance loomed tremendously large now that Jim _had_ been fool enough to write things after all, and perhaps his wife was reading that journal, if it was a journal, even then----
Louie could not stop her--no power on earth could stop her. What Jim had evidently not told her during his life she would read for herself now that he had gone.