said Mr Ibbs. He had taken out a handkerchief and was wiping his brow. He looked at Mrs Sucksby. She still had her arms about me, and I could not see her face. But I felt her grip grow slack as she reached to take the knife from my hands. ''Why, he''s a sharp one, ain''t he?'' she said, with a nervous laugh. She put the knife gently on the table. I leaned and snatched it up again.
''Don''t leave it,'' I said, ''where she might get it! Oh, Mrs Sucksby, you don''t know what a devil she is!''
''Sue, listen to me,'' said Maud.
''Dear girl,'' said Mrs Sucksby again, over her words. ''This is so astonishingly queer. This is so— Only look at you! Like a regular— ha, ha!—soldier.'' She wiped her mouth. ''What say you sit down, now, and be nice? What say we send Miss Lilly upstairs, if looking at her upsets you? Eh? And there''s John and Dainty: let''s ask them, shall we?''—she jerked her head—''to slip upstairs, too?''
''Don''t let them go!'' I cried, as Dainty began to move. ''Not her, not them!'' I waved the knife. ''You, John Vroom, stay,'' I said. And then, to Mrs Sucksby and Mr Ibbs: ''They''ll go for Gentleman! Don''t trust them!''
''She''s lost her mind,'' said John, rising from his chair. I made a swipe at the sleeve of his coat.
''I said, stay!'' I cried.
He looked at Mrs Sucksby. She looked at Mr Ibbs.
''Sit down, son,'' Mr Ibbs said quietly. John sat. I nodded to Charles.