y belong to them in some ways, but you know that I am a revolted
daughter. Haven't I proved it? Haven't I gone out into the world, to
the horror of all my relatives, for the sole purpose of getting a firmer
grip of life? And yet, do you know, Mr. Trent, I believe that to-night
you have forgotten that. You have remembered my present character only,
and, in despair of interesting a fashionable young lady, you have not
talked to me at all, and I have been very dull."

"It is quite true," he assented. "All around us they were talking of
things of which I knew nothing, and you were one of them."

"How foolish! You could have talked to me about Fred and the road-making
in Africa and I should have been more interested than in anything they
could have said to me."

They were passing a brilliantly-lit corner, and the light flashed upon
his strong, set face with its heavy eyebrows and firm lips. He leaned
back and laughed hoarsely. Was it her fancy, she wondered, or did he
seem not wholly at his ease.

"Haven't I told you a good deal? I should have thought that Fred and I
between us had told you all about Africa that you would care to hear."

She shook her head. What she said next sounded to him, in a certain
sense, enigmatic.

"There is a good deal left for you to tell me," she said. "Some day I
shall hope to know everything."

He met her gaze without flinching.

"Some day," he said, "I hope you will."

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The carriage drew up at the theatre and he handed her out--a little
awkwardly perhaps, but without absolute clumsiness. They found all the
rest of the party already in their seats and the curtain about to go up.
They took the two end stalls, Trent on the outside. One chair only, next
to him, remained unoccupied.

"You people haven't hurried," Lady Tresham remarked, leaning forward.

"We are in time at any rate," Ernestine answered, letting her cloak fall
upon the back of the stall.

The curtain was rung up and the play began. It was a modern society
drama, full of all the most up-to-date fashionable jargon and topical
illusions. Trent grew more and more bewildered at every moment.
Suddenly, towards the end of the first act, a fine dramatic situation
leaped out like a tongue of fire. The interest of the whole audience, up
to then only mildly amused, became suddenly intense. Trent sat forward
in his seat. Ernestine ceased to fan herself. The man and the woman
stood face to face--the light badi