aware that he had made a false move. His bluff had
been called. He'd made it impossible for himself to prolong his call; at
the same time he didn't dare to leave this man behind in the house. It
wasn't Maisie that he was thinking of now--he could warn her as she
entered the Court--it was Porter. A madman was capable of anything; and
yet, confound the chap's deceptiveness, he didn't look mad. There was
only one chance of delaying his departure: at all costs he must involve
him in an argument.

"If Pollock came back! Curious that you should suggest that! I've sat in
this room and discussed the possibility with Mrs. Lockwood by the hour.
For the past two months--that's as long as I've known her--I've been
helping her to live as though he might come back."

The man's coolness instantly vanished. His excitement grew well-nigh
beyond control. "You're not going. Sit down. You've got to explain." He
rapped out his sentences in short, quick jerks. His voice had become
harsh and imperative. "You can't have any idea what this means to me.
It's ridiculous. Why should you, a living man, help her, when she's so
beautiful, to save herself for a dead man? She didn't save herself in
the case of Gervis and Lockwood."

With a sigh of relief Tabs reseated himself. The man sank down beside
him, crowding against him on the couch. His anxiety was sharp-pointed
as a dagger. "Quick," he urged.

"I don't know that I can be quick." Tabs spoke leisurely. He paused,
trying to think what he should say next. "Here it is in a nutshell. Mrs.
Lockwood, as we both know, is a more than ordinarily charming woman.
She's the kind who, without being able to prevent herself, draws men.
There are women like that. Her three marriages, all taking place so
close together gave her a reputation---- You're a man of the world;
you'll understand that I'm not trying to say anything derogatory. But
three matrimonial adventures in such rapid succession gave her a
reputation for lightness. She was young and pretty. She longed to live
life. You can't blame her. For a woman life isn't a very full affair
without a man. And yet there aren't many men who would be willing to
choose a wife with three previous husbands to her credit. It would seem
too much like a week-end experiment, without the option of parting when
the week was ended. So here was the injustice of her social situation;
without having committed a solitary indiscretion, she was damaged
goods--debarred from mat