presently, and betook herself to her bedroom for a
nap. The day had been a trying one, and, though her superb health could
endure much, she felt that both prudence and comfort required that she
should recruit her energies while there was opportunity. She was not
in the least surprised that Dick had not yet returned, though he had
mentioned half an hour. At the best, there were many things that might
detain him, his father's absence from the office, difficulties in making
arrangements for his projected honeymoon trip abroad--which would never
occur--or the like. At the worst, there was a chance of finding his
father promptly, and of that father as promptly taking steps to prevent
the son from ever again seeing the woman who had so indiscreetly married
him. Yet, somehow, Mary could not believe that her husband would yield
to such paternal coercion. Rather, she was sure that he would prove
loyal to her whom he loved, through every trouble. At the thought
a certain wistfulness pervaded her, and a poignant regret that this
particular man should have been the one chosen of fate to be entangled
within her mesh of revenge. There throbbed in her a heart-tormenting
realization that there were in life possibilities infinitely more
splendid than the joy of vengeance. She would not confess the truth even
to her inmost soul, but the truth was there, and set her a-tremble with
vague fears. Nevertheless, because she was in perfect health, and was
much fatigued, her introspection did not avail to keep her awake, and
within three minutes from the time she lay down she was blissfully
unconscious of all things, both the evil and the good, revenge and love.

She had slept, perhaps, a half-hour, when Fannie awakened her.

"It's a man named Burke," she explained, as her mistress lay blinking.
"And there's another man with him. They said they must see you."

By this time, Mary was wide-awake, for the name of Burke, the Police
Inspector, was enough to startle her out of drowsiness.

"Bring them in, in five minutes," she directed.

She got up, slipped into a tea-gown, bathed her eyes in cologne, dressed
her hair a little, and went into the drawing-room, where the two men
had been waiting for something more than a quarter of an hour--to the
violent indignation of both.

"Oh, here you are, at last!" the big, burly man cried as she entered.
The whole air of him, though he was in civilian's clothes, proclaimed
the policeman.

"Yes, Inspector,