te indifference to his bride never changed. She had
no more quaking shocks nor any fear of too much ardor! He avoided every
possible moment of her society he could, and when forced to be with her
seemed aloof and bored.

And the freezing manner of Zara was caused no longer by haughty
self-defense but because she was unconsciously numb at heart.

Unknown, undreamed-of emotion came over her, whenever she chanced to
find him close, and during his long absences her thoughts followed
him--sometimes with wonderment.

Just as they were going down to start for the train on the Wednesday
morning a telegram was put into her hand. It was addressed "La Baronne
de Tancred," and she guessed at once this would be Mimo's idea of her
name. Tristram, who was already down the steps by the concierge's desk,
turned and saw her open it, with a look of intense strain. He saw that
as she read her eyes widened and stared out in front of them for a
moment, and that her face grew pale.

For Mimo had wired, "Mirko not quite so well." She crumpled the blue
paper in her hand, and followed her husband through the bowing personnel
of the hotel into the automobile. She controlled herself and was even
able to give one of her rare smiles in farewell, but when they started
she leaned back, and again her face went white. Tristram was moved. Whom
was her telegram from? She did not tell him and he would not ask, but
the feeling that there were in her life, things and interests of which
he knew nothing did not please him. And this particular thing--what was
it? Was it from a man? It had caused her some deep emotion--he could
plainly see that. He longed to ask her but was far too proud, and their
terms had grown so distant he hardly liked to express even solicitude,
which, however, he did.

"I hope you have not had any bad news?"

Then she turned her eyes upon him, and he saw that she had hardly heard
him; they looked blank.

"What?" she asked vaguely; and then, recollecting herself confusedly,
she went on, "No--not exactly--but something about which I must think."

So he was shut out of her confidence. He felt that, and carefully
avoided taking any further notice of her.

When they got to the station he suddenly perceived she was not following
him as he made way for her in the crowd, but had gone over to the
telegraph office by herself.

He waited and fumed. It was evidently something about which she wished
no one to see what she wrote, for she co