tory from such a ridiculous source," she declared,
raising her face defiantly to his.

"Then you deny it?" he cried, grasping her white arm. "You say there is
no truth in the report?"

"Not one word," she answered. "I left the ball-room early, because it
was lonely for me there _without you_, and came directly to my room.
Antoinette could have told you that had you taken the pains to inquire
of her."

"It would ill become me to make such an inquiry of a servant in my
employ," he replied. "You are the one to answer me."

"If the ridiculous story _had_ been true, you could not have wondered at
it much," she declared, with a hard glitter in her eye, and a still
harder laugh on her red lips. "When a man neglects his wife, is it any
wonder that she turns to some one else for amusement and--and comfort?"

"Call your maid at once to pack up your trunks. We leave the Ocean House
within an hour."

With these words, he strode out of the room, banging the door after him.

"God! how I hate that man!" hissed Sally. "I think his death will lay at
my door yet."

CHAPTER XL.

Leave Newport when the season was at its height! The very thought of
such a thing was bitterness itself to Sally Gardiner, this butterfly of
fashion, who loved the whirl of society as dearly as the breath of life.

Antoinette entered, bearing a bouquet of fragrant crimson roses in her
hand.

Sally sprung from the chair, into which she had sunk a moment before,
with a frightened little cry.

What if Jay Gardiner had by chance been in the room when those roses
were brought in, with Victor Lamont's card attached? What if he had
snatched them from Antoinette's hand, and discovered the note that was
hidden in their fragrant depths?

"The handsome English gentleman sends these, with his compliments, to
madame," whispered the girl, after casting a furtive glance about the
apartment, to make sure Doctor Gardiner had gone.

"Yes, yes," murmured Sally, blushing furiously. "Hand them to me, and
then go into the next room. I shall not want you for a few moments. When
I do, I will ring."

She could hardly restrain her impatience until the door had closed to
learn what Victor Lamont had been so rash, after last night's escapade,
as to write to her about.

She had little difficulty in finding the note.

There were but a few lines, and they read as follows:

"MY DEAR MRS. GARDINER--SALLY--I must see you _without
delay_. I am pacing up and