t's shop in the Strand. You were signing his book for a
sleeping draught, I think."

She shivered all over.

"Yes, yes!" she cried. "Of course, I remember all about it. The young
lady who was with you--what was she doing there? Where is she now?"

"The young lady was my sister," Tavernake answered stiffly.

Mrs. Wenham Gardner looked, for a moment, as though she would have
struck him.

"You need not lie to me!" she exclaimed. "It is not worth while. Tell
me where you met her, why you were with her at all in that intimate
fashion, and where she is now!"

Tavernake realized at once that so far as this woman was concerned, the
fable of his relationship with Beatrice was hopeless. She knew!

"Madam," he replied, "I made the acquaintance of the young lady with
whom I was that evening, at the boarding-house where we both lived."

"What were you doing in the chemist's shop?" she demanded.

"The young lady had been ill," he proceeded deliberately, wondering
how much to tell. "She had been taken very ill indeed. She was just
recovering when you entered."

"Where is she now?" the woman asked eagerly. "Is she still at that
boarding-house of which you spoke?"

"No," he answered.

Her fingers gripped his arm once more.

"Why do you answer me always in monosyllables? Don't you understand that
you must tell me everything that you know about her. You must tell me
where I can find her, at once."

Tavernake remained silent. The woman's voice had still that note of
wonderful sweetness, but she had altogether lost her air of complete and
aristocratic indifference. She was a very altered person now from the
distinguished client who had first enlisted his services. For some
reason or other, he knew that she was suffering from a terrible anxiety.

"I am not sure," he said at last, "whether I can do as you ask."

"What do you mean?" she exclaimed sharply.

"The young lady," he continued, "seemed, on the occasion to which you
have referred, to be particularly anxious to avoid recognition. She
hurried out of the place without speaking to you, and she has avoided
the subject ever since. I do not know what her motives may have been,
but I think that I should like to ask her first before I tell you where
she is to be found."

Mrs. Wenham Gardner leaned towards him. It was certainly the first time
that a woman in her apparent rank of life had looked upon Tavernake in
such a manner. Her forehead was a little wrinkled, her lips w