'And you've noticed nothing strange in him? His mind hasn't been running
on money or clothes?'

'No, doctor; I wish it 'ad. I shouldn't 'ave thought anything of that;
there's something natural in a man talking about stocks and shares and
trousers, but I've never 'eard 'im say anything like this before. He was
always a wonderfully steady man.'

VIII

Mr Clinton became daily stronger, and soon he was quite well. He resumed
his work at the office, and in every way seemed to have regained his old
self. He gave utterance to no more startling theories, and the casual
observer might have noticed no difference between him and the model
clerk of six months back. But Mrs Clinton had received too great a shock
to look upon her husband with casual eyes, and she noticed in his manner
an alteration which disquieted her. He was much more silent than before;
he would take his supper without speaking a word, without making the
slightest sign to show that he had heard some remark of Mrs Clinton's.
He did not read the paper in the evening as he had been used to do, but
would go upstairs to the top of the house, and stand by an open window
looking at the stars. He had an enigmatical way of smiling which Mrs
Clinton could not understand. Then he had lost his old punctuality--he
would come home at all sorts of hours, and, when his wife questioned
him, would merely shrug his shoulders and smile strangely. Once he told
her that he had been wandering about looking at men's lives.

Mrs Clinton thought that a very unsatisfactory explanation of his
unpunctuality, and after a long consultation with the cautious doctor
came to the conclusion that it was her duty to discover what her husband
did during the long time that elasped between his leaving the office and
returning home.

So one day, at about six, she stationed herself at the door of the big
building in which were Mr Clinton's offices, and waited. Presently he
appeared in the doorway, and after standing for a minute or two on the
threshold, ever with the enigmatical smile hovering on his lips, came
down the steps and walked slowly along the crowded street. His wife
walked behind him; and he was not difficult to follow, for he had lost
his old, quick, business-like step, and sauntered along, looking to the
right and to the left, carelessly, as if he had not awaiting him at home
his duties as the father of a family.... After a while he turned down a
side street, and his wife followed wi