in
negligee, and she could scarcely have come from anywhere else. Her own
door which was between Eugene's room and the sewing room was ten feet
away. It did not seem possible that she could have come from there: she
had not had time enough, and anyhow why had she not answered?

The first impulse of Mrs. Hibberdell was to call to her. Her second
thought was to let the ruse seem successful. She was convinced that
Eugene was in his room, and a few moments later a monitory cough on his
part--coughed for a purpose--convinced her.

"Are you in the bath, Carlotta?" she called quietly, after looking into
Carlotta's room.

"Yes," came the reply, easily enough now. "Did your machine break down?"

A few remarks were exchanged through the door and then Mrs. Hibberdell
went to her room. She thought over the situation steadily for it greatly
irritated her. It was not the same as the discovered irregularity of a
trusted and virtuous daughter. Carlotta had not been led astray. She was
a grown woman, married, experienced. In every way she knew as much about
life as her mother--in some respects more. The difference between them
was in ethical standards and the policy that aligns itself with common
sense, decency, self preservation, as against its opposite. Carlotta had
so much to look out for. Her future was in her own hands. Besides,
Eugene's future, his wife's rights and interests, her mother's home, her
mother's standards, were things which she ought to respect--ought to
want to respect. To find her lying as she had been this long time,
pretending indifference, pretending absence, and no doubt associating
with Eugene all the while, was disgusting. She was very angry, not so
much at Eugene, though her respect for him was greatly lowered, artist
though he was, as at Carlotta. She ought to do better. She ought to be
ashamed not to guard herself against a man like Eugene, instead of
luring him on. It was Carlotta's fault, and she determined to reproach
her bitterly and to break up this wretched alliance at once.

There was an intense and bitter quarrel the next morning, for
Mrs. Hibberdell decided to hold her peace until Eugene and Davis should
be out of the house. She wanted to have this out with Carlotta alone,
and the clash came shortly after breakfast when both the others had
left. Carlotta had already warned Eugene that something might happen on
account of this, but under no circumstances was he to admit anything
unless she tol