Here is no mystery. Joe was probably the only person of respectable
derivation in Canaan who had not known for weeks that Ariel Tabor was
on her way home. And the news that she had arrived the night before
had been widely disseminated on the way to church, entering church, IN
church (even so!), and coming out of church. An account of her house
in the Avenue Henri Martin, and of her portrait in the Salon--a
mysterious business to many, and not lacking in grandeur for that!--had
occupied two columns in the Tocsin, on a day, some months before, when
Joe had found himself inimically head-lined on the first page, and had
dropped the paper without reading further. Ariel's name had been in
the mouth of Canaan for a long time; unfortunately for Joe, however,
not in the mouth of that Canaan which held converse with him.

Joe had not known her. The women recognized her, infallibly, at first
glance; even those who had quite forgotten her. And the women told
their men. Hence the un-Sunday-like demeanor of the procession, for
few towns hold it more unseemly to stand and stare at passers-by,
especially on the Sabbath.--BUT Ariel Tabor returned--and walking
with--WITH JOE LOUDEN! ...

A low but increasing murmur followed the two as they proceeded. It ran
up the street ahead of them; people turned to look back and paused, so
that they had to walk round one or two groups. They had, also, to walk
round Norbert Flitcroft, which was very like walking round a group. He
was one of the few (he was waddling home alone) who did not identify
Miss Tabor, and her effect upon him was extraordinary. His mouth
opened and he gazed stodgily, his widening eyes like sun-dogs coming
out of a fog. He did not recognize her escort; did not see him at all
until they had passed, after which Mr. Flitcroft experienced a few
moments of trance; came out of it stricken through and through; felt
nervously of his tie; resolutely fell in behind the heeling mongrel and
followed, at a distance of some forty paces, determined to learn what
household this heavenly visitor honored, and thrilling with the
intention to please that same household with his own presence as soon
and as often as possible.

Ariel flushed a little when she perceived the extent of their
conspicuousness; but it was not the blush that Joe remembered had
reddened the tanned skin of old; for her brownness had gone long ago,
though it had not left her merely pink and white. This was a del