in
the way. She seemed to have discovered the trick of coming and going
undisturbingly. She was docile and affectionate, but not in the least
sentimental. He had known men whose first years of marriage, not to
speak of the first months, had been rendered unbearable by the fact that
their wives were constantly demanding or expecting the expression of
sentiments which unsentimental males had not at their fingers' ends. So
the men had been annoyed or bored, and the women had been dissatisfied.
Emily demanded nothing of the sort, and was certainly not dissatisfied.
She looked very handsome and happy. Her looks positively improved, and
when people began to call and she to pay visits, she was very much
liked. He had certainly been quite right in deciding to ask her to marry
him. If she had a son, he should congratulate himself greatly. The more
he saw of Osborn the more he disliked him. It appeared that there was a
prospect of a child there.

This last was indeed true, and Emily had been much touched and awakened
to sympathy. It had gradually become revealed to her that the Osborns
were poorer than they could decently admit. Emily had discovered that
they could not even remain in the lodgings in Duke Street, though she
did not know the reason, which was that Captain Osborn had been obliged
to pay certain moneys to stave off a scandal not entirely unconnected
with the young woman his arm had encircled the day Walderhurst had seen
him on the top of the bus. He was very well aware that if he was to
obtain anything from Lord Walderhurst, there were several things which
must be kept entirely dark. Even a scandal belonging to the past could
be made as unpleasant as an error of to-day. Also the young woman of the
bead cape knew how to manage him. But they must remove to cheaper
lodgings, and the rooms in Duke Street had been far from desirable.

Lady Walderhurst came in one morning from a walk, with a fresh colour
and bright eyes, and before taking off her hat went to her husband's
study.

"May I come in?"

Walderhurst had been writing some uninteresting letters and looked up
with a smile.

"Certainly," he answered. "What a colour you have! Exercise agrees with
you. You ought to ride."

"That was what Captain Osborn said. If you don't mind, I should like to
ask you something."

"I don't mind. You are a reasonable woman, Emily. One's safe with you."

"It is something connected with the Osborns."

"Indeed!" chilling sligh