ith all this new confidence, he felt
too that there was something that he missed in Rachel, some response to
his thrill, he could see that she was ill at ease and was relying on him
perhaps, "to carry it off."

So he carried it off, talked and laughed about his experiences, the
countries that he had seen, things that he had done, and, as always when
he was striving to make the best impression, made the worst, letting
that note of exaggeration, of something theatrical that was dangerously
near to a pose, creep into his voice and his attitude.

Rachel and Roddy said very little. He stopped, felt that he had been
speaking too much, and, sensitive always to an atmosphere that was not
kindly to him, cursed himself for a fool and wished that he had never
spoken at all.

There was a little pause, then Roddy said, "That's very interesting.
I've never been to South America, but I hear it's going to be _the_
place soon. Everyone's as rich as Croesus out there, I believe.
Another cup, Rachel dear, please--Oh! thank you, Mr. Breton."

Breton brought the cup to Rachel and then stood there, with his back to
Roddy, his eyes upon Rachel's face, trying to tell her what he was
feeling. Quietly Roddy's voice came to them both.

"There _is_ one little thing--one reason why I wanted you to come this
afternoon, Mr. Breton."

Rachel got up, her eyes fixed intently upon Roddy's face. "No, Rachel,
don't go. It concerns us all three." Roddy laughed. "I don't want any of
us to take it very seriously. It is entirely between ourselves. I do
hope," he went on more gravely, "that I haven't been takin' any liberty
in arrangin' things like this, but it seemed to me the only way--just to
stop, you know, the thing once and for all."

Breton had left the table and was standing in the middle of the room. A
thousand wild thoughts had come to him. This was a trap--a trap that
Rachel....

The room whirled about him--he put his hand on to the back of a chair to
steady himself, then turned to Rachel, seeking her with his eyes.

He saw instantly in her white face and eyes, that never left, for an
instant, her husband, that there was nothing here of which she had had
any foreknowledge.

"It's only," said Roddy, "that somebody came to me, a few days ago, and
told me that you, Mr. Breton, and my wife were on friendlier terms than
I--well, than I would, if I had known, have cared for----"

Breton started forward. "I----" he began.

"No, please," said