ing to a decision, especially as he saw
that hesitation was sure to end in the adoption of the former
course--probably the wrong one. He just caught the Baron's last
words--a denunciation of the hotel he was stopping at, loud enough
to reach the new St. Sennans, of which it was the principal
constituent--and then walked briskly off. He arrived at Iggulden's
within the hour he had first conceded to the Octopus, and got
Rosalind out for a walk, as originally proposed.

There was no apparent reason why the impossibility of overtaking Sally
and the doctor should be interpreted into an excuse for going in the
opposite direction; but each accepted it as such, or as a justification
at least. Rosalind had not so distinct a reason as her husband for
wishing not to break in upon them, as he had not reported the whole of
his last talk with Vereker. But though she did not know that Dr. Conrad
had as good as promised to make a clean breast of it before returning
to London, she thought nothing was more likely than that he should do
so, and resolved to leave the stage clear for the leading parts. She
may even have flattered herself that she was showing tact--keeping
an unconscious Gerry out of the way, who might else interfere with
the stars in their courses, in the manner of the tactless. Rosalind
suspected this of Sally, that whatever she might think she thought,
and whatever parade she made of an even mind no sentiments whatever
prevailed in, there was in her inmost heart another Sally, locked in
and unconfessed, that had strong views on the subject. And she wanted
this Sally to be let out for a spell, or for poor Prosy to be allowed
into her cell long enough to speak for himself. Anyhow, this was their
last chance here, and she wasn't going to spoil it.

She had gone near to making up her mind--after her sufferings from
Gwenny's mamma in the morning--to attempt, at any rate, a communication
of their joint story to her husband. But it _must_ depend on
circumstances and possibilities. She foresaw a long period of
resolutions undermined by doubts, decisions rescinded at the last
moment, and suddenly-revealed ambushes, and perhaps in the end
self-reproach for a mismanaged revelation that might have been so much
more skilfully done. Never mind--it was all in the day's work! She
had borne much, and would bear more.

"How do you know they are all nonsense, Gerry darling?" We catch their
conversation in the middle as they walk along th