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Mrs。 Horncastle caught her hand and looked intently into her
frightened face。 〃Then what have you to fear from your husband？〃
she said abruptly。
〃You don't understand。 He didn't know I was here。 He thought me
in San Francisco。〃
〃Does he know it now？〃
〃Yes。 I heard the stableman tell him。 Couldn't you say I came
here with you； that we were here together； that it was just a
little freak of ours？ Oh； do！〃
Mrs。 Horncastle thought a moment。 〃Yes；〃 she said； 〃we'll see him
here together。〃
〃Oh no！ no！〃 said Mrs。 Barker suddenly； clinging to her dress and
looking fearfully towards the door。 〃I couldn't； COULDN'T see him
now。 Say I'm sick； tired out； gone to my room。〃
〃But you'll have to see him later；〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle wonderingly。
〃Yes； but he may go first。 I heard him tell them not to put up his
horse。〃
〃Good！〃 said Mrs。 Horncastle suddenly。 〃Go to your room and lock
the door； and I'll come to you later。 Stop！ Would Mr。 Barker be
likely to disturb you if I told him you would like to be alone？〃
〃No； he never does。 I often tell him that。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle smiled faintly。 〃Come； quick； then；〃 she said；
〃for he may come HERE first。〃
Opening the door she passed into the half…dark and empty hall。
〃Now run！〃 She heard the quick rustle of Mrs。 Barker's skirt die
away in the distance； the opening and shutting of a doorsilence
and then turned back into her own room。
She was none too soon。 Presently she heard Barker's voice saying；
〃Thank you； I can find the way；〃 his still buoyant step on the
staircase； and then saw his brown curls rising above the railing。
The light streaming through the open door of the sitting room into
the half…lit hall had partially dazzled him； and； already
bewildered； he was still more dazzled at the unexpected apparition
of the smiling face and bright eyes of Mrs。 Horncastle standing in
the doorway。
〃You have fairly caught us；〃 she said； with charming composure；
〃but I had half a mind to let you wander round the hotel a little
longer。 Come in。〃 Barker followed her in mechanically； and she
closed the door。 〃Now； sit down；〃 she said gayly； 〃and tell me how
you knew we were here； and what you mean by surprising us at this
hour。〃
Barker's ready color always rose on meeting Mrs。 Horncastle； for
whom he entertained a respectful admiration； not without some fear
of her worldly superiority。 He flushed； bowed； and stared somewhat
blankly around the room； at the familiar walls； at the chair from
which Mrs。 Horncastle had just risen； and finally at his wife's
glove； which Mrs。 Horncastle had a moment before ostentatiously
thrown on the table。 Seeing which she pounced upon it with assumed
archness； and pretended to conceal it。
〃I had no idea my wife was here；〃 he said at last； 〃and I was quite
surprised when the man told me； for she had not written to me about
it。〃 As his face was brightening； she for the first time noticed
that his frank gray eyes had an abstracted look； and there was a
faint line of contraction on his youthful forehead。 〃Still less；〃
he added； 〃did I look for the pleasure of meeting you。 For I only
came here to inquire about my old partner； Demorest； who arrived
from Europe a few days ago； and who should have reached Hymettus
early this afternoon。 But now I hear he came all the way by coach
instead of by rail； and got off at the cross…road； and we must have
passed each other on the different trails。 So my journey would
have gone for nothing； only that I now shall have the pleasure of
going back with you and Kitty。 It will be a lovely drive by
moonlight。〃
Relieved by this revelation； it was easy work for Mrs。 Horncastle
to launch out into a playful； tantalizing； wittybut； I grieve to
say； entirely imaginativeaccount of her escapade with Mrs。
Barker。 How； left alone at the San Francisco hotel while their
gentlemen friends were enjoying themselves at Hymettus； they
resolved upon a little trip； partly for the purpose of looking into
some small investments of their own； and partly for the fun of the
thing。 What funny experiences they had！ How； in particular； one
horrid inquisitive； vulgar wretch had been boring a European fellow
passenger who was going to Hymettus； finally asking him where he
had come from last； and when he answered 〃Hymettus；〃 thought the
man was insulting him
〃But；〃 interrupted the laughing Barker； 〃that passenger may have
been Demorest； who has just come from Greece； and surely Kitty
would have recognized him。〃
Mrs。 Horncastle instantly saw her blunder； and not only retrieved
it； but turned it to account。 Ah； yes！ but by that time poor
Kitty； unused to long journeys and the heat； was utterly fagged
out； was asleep； and perfectly unrecognizable in veils and dusters
on the back seat of the coach。 And this brought her to the point
which was； that she was sorry to say； on arriving； the poor child
was nearly wild with a headache from fatigue and had gone to bed；
and she had promised not to disturb her。
The undisguised amusement； mingled with relief； that had overspread
Barker's face during this lively recital might have pricked the
conscience of Mrs。 Horncastle； but for some reason I fear it did
not。 But it emboldened her to go on。 〃I said I promised her that
I would see she wasn't disturbed； but； of course； now that YOU； her
HUSBAND； have come； if〃
〃Not for worlds；〃 interrupted Barker earnestly。 〃I know poor
Kitty's headaches； and I never disturb her； poor child； except when
I'm thoughtless。〃 And here one of the most thoughtful men in the
world in his sensitive consideration of others beamed at her with
such frank and wonderful eyes that the arch hypocrite before him
with difficulty suppressed a hysterical desire to laugh； and felt
the conscious blood flush her to the root of her hair。 〃You know；〃
he went on； with a sigh； half of relief and half of reminiscence；
〃that I often think I'm a great bother to a clear…headed； sensible
girl like Kitty。 She knows people so much better than I do。 She's
wonderfully equipped for the world； and； you see； I'm only 'lucky；'
as everybody says； and I dare say part of my luck was to have got
her。 I'm very glad she's a friend of yours； you know； for somehow
I fancied always that you were not interested in her； or that you
didn't understand each other until now。 It's odd that nice women
don't always like nice women； isn't it？ I'm glad she was with you；
I was quite startled to learn she was here； and couldn't make it
out。 I thought at first she might have got anxious about our
little Sta； who is with me and the nurse at Hymettus。 But I'm glad
it was only a lark。 I shouldn't wonder；〃 he added； with a laugh；
〃although she always declares she isn't one of those 'doting；
idiotic mothers；' that she found it a little dull without the boy；
for all she thought it was better for ME to take him somewhere for
a change of air。〃
The situation was becoming more difficult for Mrs。 Horncastle than
she had conceived。 There had been a certain excitement in its
first direct appeal to her tact and courage； and even； she
believed； an unselfish desire to save the relations between husband
and wife if she could。 But she had not calculated upon his
unconscious revelations； nor upon their effect upon herself。 She
had concluded to believe that Kitty had； in a moment of folly； lent
herself to this hare…brained escapade； but it now might be possible
that it had been deliberately planned。 Kitty had sent her husband
and child away three weeks before。 Had she told the whole truth？
How long had this been going on？ And if the soulless Van Loo had
deserted her now； was it not； perhaps； the miserable ending of an
intrigue rather than its beginning？ Had she been as great a dupe
of this woman as the husband before her？ A new and double
consciousness came over her that for a moment prevented her from
meeting his honest eyes。 She felt the shame of being an accomplice
mingled with a fierce joy at the idea of a climax that might
separate him from his wife forever。
Luckily he did not notice it； but with a continued sense of relief
threw himself back in his chair； and glancing familiarly round the
walls broke into his youthful laugh。 〃Lord！ how I remember this
room in the old days。 It was Kitty's own private sitting…room； you
know； and I used to think it looked just as fresh and pretty as
she。 I used to think her crayon drawing wonderful； and still more
wonderful that she should have that unnecessary talent when it was
quite enough for her to be just 'Kitty。' You know； don't you； how
you feel at those times when you're quite happy in being inferior〃
He stopped a moment with a sudden recollection that Mrs。 Horncastle's
marriage had been notoriously unhappy。 〃I mean；〃 he went on with a
shy little laugh and an innocent attempt at gallantry which t