ectly appointed Cossack
sleigh any day with a groom on the rumble and a companion beside her;
that she seemed to be perfectly sane, healthy in body and mind,
comfortable, happy, and enjoying life under the protection of a certain
Captain Selwyn, who paid all her bills and, at certain times, was seen
entering or leaving her house at Edgewater.

Excited, incredulous, but hoping for the worst, Ruthven had posted off
to his attorneys. To them he naiively confessed his desire to be rid of
Alixe; he reported her misconduct with Neergard--which he knew was a
lie--her pretence of mental prostration, her disappearance, and his
last interview with Selwyn in the card-room. He also gave a vivid
description of that gentleman's disgusting behaviour, and his threats of
violence during that interview.

To all of which his attorneys listened very attentively, bade him have
no fear of his life, requested him to make several affidavits, and leave
the rest to them for the present.

Which he did, without hearing from them until Mr. Hallam telegraphed him
to come to Edgewater if he had nothing better to do.

And Ruthven had just arrived at that inconspicuous Long Island village
when his servant, at the telephone, replied to Selwyn's inquiry that his
master was out of town.

* * * * *

Mr. Hallam was a very busy, very sanguine, very impetuous young man; and
when he met Ruthven at the Edgewater station he told him promptly that
he had the best case on earth; that he, Hallam, was going to New York on
the next train, now almost due, and that Ruthven had better drive over
and see for himself how gaily his wife maintained her household; for the
Cossack sleigh, with its gay crimson tchug, had but just returned from
the usual afternoon spin, and the young chatelaine of Willow Villa was
now on the snow-covered lawn, romping with the coachman's huge white
wolf-hound. . . . It might he just as well for Ruthven to stroll up that
way and see for himself. The house was known as the Willow Villa. Any
hackman could drive him past it.

As Hallam was speaking the New York train came thundering in, and the
young lawyer, facing the snowy clouds of steam, swung his suit-case and
himself aboard. On the Pullman platform he paused and looked around and
down at Ruthven.

"It's just as you like," he said. "If you'd rather come back with me on
this train, come ahead! It isn't absolutely necessary that you make a
personal inspec