e asked, with a sudden light gaiety and
air of comradeship.

"Club--playin' bridge," he answered, lighting a cigarette.

He shot a glance at her sideways as he spoke, a glance that was meant
to be crafty. If she had not been excited and horribly jealous, such
a glance would probably have amused her, even made her laugh. Fritz's
craft was very transparent. But she could not laugh now. She knew he was
telling her the first lie that had occurred to him.

"Lucky?" she asked, still preserving her light and casual manner.

"Middlin'," he jerked out.

He sat down in an armchair and slowly stretched his legs, staring up at
the ceiling. Lady Holme began to think rapidly, feverishly.

Had he locked the front door when he came in? Very much depended upon
whether he had or had not. The servants had all gone to bed. Not one of
them would see that the house was closed for the night. Fritz was a
very casual person. He often forgot to do things he had promised to do,
things that ought to be done. On the other hand, there were moments
when his memory was excellent. If she only knew which mood had been his
to-night she thought she would feel calmer. The uncertainty in which she
was made mind and body tingle. If Fritz had remembered to lock the door,
Leo Ulford would try to get in, fail, and go away. But if he had
not remembered, at any moment Leo Ulford might walk into the room
triumphantly with the latch-key in his hand. And it was nearly half-past
twelve.

She wished intensely that she knew what Fritz had done.

"What's up?" he said abruptly.

"Up?" she said with an uncontrollable start.

"Yes, with you?"

"Nothing. What d'you mean?"

"Why, you looked as if--don't you b'lieve I've been playin' bridge?"

"Of course I do. Really, Fritz, how absurd you are!"

It was evident that he, too, was not quite easy to-night. If he had a
conscience, surely it was pricking him. Fierce anger flamed up again
suddenly in Lady Holme, and the longing to lash her husband. Yet even
this anger did not take away the anxiety that beset her, the wish that
she had not done the crazy thing. The fact of her husband's return
before Leo's arrival seemed to have altered her action, made it far more
damning. To have been found with Leo would have been compromising, would
have roused Fritz's anger. She wanted to rouse his anger. She had meant
to rouse it. But when she looked at Fritz she did not like the thought
of Leo walking in at this hour holding