."

She reseated herself, getting possession of one of his hands. To this
tenderness he made no response. He seemed to ruminate. "Say, Rosie--" he
began at last, but apparently thought better of what he had meant to
say. "All right," he broke in, carelessly, going on to speak of the
wisdom of leaving the public out of their confidence until their plans
were more fully matured. "Thor's to be married about the twentieth of
next month," he continued, while Rosie was on her guard against further
self-betrayal. "After that we'll have Lois on our side, and she'll do a
lot for us."

By the time Claude emerged from the hothouse it was dark. Glad of the
opportunity of slipping away unobserved, he was hurrying toward the road
when he found himself confronted by Jasper Fay. In the latter's voice
there was a sternness that got its force from the fact that it was so
mild.

"You been in the hothouse, Mr. Claude?"

Claude laughed. In his present mood of happiness he could easily have
announced himself as Fay's future son-in-law. Nothing but motives of
prudence held him back. He answered, jestingly, "Been in to see if you
had any American beauties."

"No, Mr. Claude; we don't grow them; no _kind_ of American beauties."

Claude laughed again. "Oh, I don't know about that. Good night, Mr. Fay.
Glad to have seen you."

He passed on with spirits slightly dashed because his condescension met
with no response. He was so quick to feel that Fay's silence struck him
as hostile. It struck him as hostile with a touch of uncanniness. On
glancing back over his shoulder he saw that Fay was following him
watchfully, like a dog that sneaks after an intruder till he has left
the premises. Being sensitive to the creepy and the sinister, Claude was
glad when he had reached the road.

CHAPTER XVIII

The provision that for the moment he was to lead his customary life and
Rosie hers made it possible for Claude to attend the ball by which Mrs.
Darling drew the notice of the world to her daughter. He did so with
hesitations, compunctions, reluctances, and repugnances which in no wise
diminished his desire to be present at the event.

It took place in the great circular ball-room of the city's newest and
most splendid hotel. The ball-room itself was white-and-gold and Louis
Quinze. Against this background a tasteful decorator had constructed a
colonnade that reproduced in flowers the exquisite marble circle of the
Bosquet at Versailles. An