her for an instant as he passed, and he did not turn. He knew
suddenly who the woman must be, and it was as if a curtain of gloom were
drawn between him and the splendor of the day.

* * * * *

"You were planning to go to White Gables before the inquest, I think,"
remarked Trent to Mr. Cupples as they finished their breakfast. "You
ought to be off, if you are to get back to the court in time. I have
something to attend to there myself, so we might walk up together. I
will just go and get my camera."

"By all means," Mr. Cupples answered; and they set off at once in the
ever-growing warmth of the morning. The roof of White Gables, a surly
patch of dull red against the dark trees, seemed to harmonize with
Trent's mood; he felt heavy, sinister and troubled. If a blow must fall
that might strike down that creature radiant of beauty and life whom he
had seen that morning, he did not wish it to come from his hand. An
exaggerated chivalry had lived in him since the first teachings of his
mother; but at this moment the horror of bruising anything so lovely was
almost as much the artist's revulsion as the gentleman's. On the other
hand, was the hunt to end in nothing? The quality of the affair was such
that the thought of forbearance was an agony. There never was such a
case; and he alone, he was confident, held the truth of it under his
hand. At least, he determined, that day should show whether what he
believed was a delusion. He would trample his compunction underfoot
until he was quite sure that there was any call for it. That same
morning he would know.

As they entered at the gate of the drive they saw Marlowe and the
American standing in talk before the front door. In the shadow of the
porch was the lady in black.

She saw them, and came gravely forward over the lawn, moving as Trent
had known that she would move, erect and balanced, stepping lightly.
When she welcomed him on Mr. Cupples' presentation, her eyes of
golden-flecked brown observed him kindly. In her pale composure, worn as
the mask of distress, there was no trace of the emotion that had seemed
a halo about her head on the ledge of the cliff. She spoke the
appropriate commonplace in a low and even voice. After a few words to
Mr. Cupples she turned her eyes on Trent again.

"I hope you will succeed," she said earnestly. "Do you think you will
succeed?"

He made his mind up as the words left her lips. He said: "I believe I