on the spot.

"Come into my room," said he. "If you doubt her, you doubt me; and in the
present stress of my affairs this demands an immediate explanation."

"I have no time to enter your room, and I cannot linger here any longer
talking on a subject which at the present moment is not clear to either
of us," was the resolute if not quite affable reply. "Later, when my
conclusions are made, I will see you again. Now I am going to eat and
refresh myself. Don't follow me; it will do you no good."

He turned to descend. Ransom had an impulse to seize him by his twisted
throat and drag from him the secret which his impassive features refused
to give up. But Ransom was no fool and, stepping back out of the way of
temptation, he allowed him to escape without further parley.

Then he went to his room. But, after an hour or two spent with his own
thoughts, his restlessness became so great that he sought the gossips
below for relief. He found them all clustered about Hazen, who was
reeling off stories by the mile. This was unendurable to him and he was
striding off, when Hazen burst away from his listeners and, joining
Ransom, whispered in his ear:

"I saw her go by the window just now on her way up-street. What can she
find there to interest her? Where is she going?"

"I don't know. She doesn't consult me as to her movements. Probably she
has gone for a walk. She looks as if she needs it."

"So do you," was the unexpected retort given by Hazen, as he stepped back
to rejoin his associates.

Ransom paused, watching him askance in doubt of the suggestion, in doubt
of the man, in doubt of himself. Then he yielded to an impulse stronger
than any doubt and slipped out into the highway, where he turned, as she
had turned, up-street.

But not without a struggle. He hated himself for his puppet-like
acceptance of the hint given him by a man he both distrusted and
disliked. He felt his dignity impaired and his self-confidence shaken,
yet he went on, following the high road eagerly and watching with wary
eye for the first glimpse of the slight figure which was beginning to
make every scene alive to him.

It had rained heavily and persistently the last time he came this way,
but to-day the sun was shining with a full radiance, and the trees
stretching away on either side of the road were green with the tender
tracery of early leafage; a joy-compelling sight which may have accounted
for the elasticity of his step as he ascended on