eadlights came sweeping up the drive, and a few minutes later,
Lefferts, in full evening dress, entered the house.

"I'm afraid I'm a little bit late," he said, "but I missed a turn."

For an instant Crane regarded him blankly. Then he remembered that once,
ages before, or perhaps no earlier than that very afternoon, he had
invited Lefferts to dinner. And at the same time he realized what had
not heretofore occurred to him, that there was no one in the house to
serve dinner, except Jane-Ellen, who had, in all probability, cooked
dinner for only two. Reed might be there at any minute. It was really
necessary, in so acute a domestic crisis, to put pride in his pocket and
go downstairs and speak to his cook.

He put his hand on Lefferts' shoulder.

"Awfully sorry, my dear fellow," he said, "that things are not quite as
anticipated. Tucker will tell you we have had rather a stormy afternoon.
Give him a cigarette and a cocktail, Tuck, and I'll be back in a
minute." He disappeared down the kitchen stairs.

With what different feelings, he said to himself, did he now descend
those stairs; but, when he was actually in the kitchen, when Willoughby
was once again bounding forward to greet him, and Jane-Ellen was
allowing herself that slow curved smile of hers, he was surprised and
disappointed to find that his feelings were, after all, much the same as
before. Over his manner, however, he was still master, and that was cold
and formal in the extreme.

"I wanted to speak to you, Jane-Ellen," he began, but she interrupted.

"This time," she said gaily, "I know what it is that you are going to
scold about."

"I am not going to scold."

She laughed.

"Well, that's a wonder," and glancing at him she was astonished to find
no answering smile. "Are you really angry at me," she asked, "on account
of this afternoon?"

"This afternoon?"

"On account of that silly plan about Brindlebury? I did not know they
were going to do it, and when it was done, I couldn't betray them, could
I?"

Crane made a gesture that seemed to indicate that he really had no means
of judging what his cook might or might not do.

"You believe me, don't you?"

"Believe you?" said Crane. "I haven't considered the question one way or
the other."

"Why, Mr. Crane," said Jane-Ellen, "whatever has come over you that you
should speak like that?"

"This has come over me," answered Crane, "that I came down here in a
hurry to give some orders and not to