lost in thought. At last he rang for a bell
boy. And when the boy came, he said: "That door there"--indicating one
in the opposite wall of the sitting room--"what does it lead into?"

"Another bedroom, sir."

"Unlock it, and tell them at the office I wish that room added to my
suite."

As soon as the additional bedroom was at his disposal, he went in and
began to undress. When he had taken off coat and waistcoat he paused to
telephone to the office a call for eight o'clock. As he finished and
hung up the receiver, a sound from the direction of the sitting room
made him glance in there. On the threshold of the other bedroom stood
his wife. She was in her nightgown; her hair, done in a single thick
braid, hung down across her bosom. There was in the room and upon her
childish loveliness the strange commingling of lights and shadows that
falls when the electricity is still on and the early morning light is
pushing in at the windows. They looked at each other in silence for some
time. If she was frightened or in the least embarrassed she did not show
it. She simply looked at him, while ever so slowly a smile dawned--a
gleam in the eyes, a flutter round the lips, growing merrier and
merrier. He did not smile. He continued to regard her gravely.

"I heard you and Mr. Tetlow come in," she said. "Then--you talked so
long--I fell asleep again. I only this minute awakened."

"Well, now you can go to sleep again," said he.

"But I'm not a bit sleepy. What are you doing in that room?"

She advanced toward his door. He stood aside. She peeped in. She was so
close to him that her nightgown brushed the bosom of his shirt. "Another
bedroom!" she exclaimed. "Just like ours."

"I didn't wish to disturb you," said he, calm and grave.

"But you wouldn't have been disturbing me," protested she, leaning
against the door frame, less than two feet away and directly facing him.

"I'll stay on here," said he.

She gazed at him with great puzzled eyes. "Aren't you glad I'm back?"
she asked.

"Certainly," said he with a polite smile. "But I must get some sleep."
And he moved away.

"You must let me tell you how I happened to go and why I came----"

"Please," he interrupted, looking at her with a piercing though not in
the least unfriendly expression that made her grow suddenly pale and
thoughtful. "I do not wish to hear about it--not now--not ever. Tetlow
told me all that it's necessary for me to know. You have come to stay, I
as