self heard him answer
slowly, "Very well, dear. I see. Good-bye.") and went to Algiers with
me. When we came back they were married and he was having a great
success, playing before Royalty and all that sort of thing.

I think it took Sue about a month to find out what any of her men
friends could have told her in six seconds, and after that she kept
him in Europe as much as she could. She kept up pretty well for three
or four years, but at last she came back with her two delicate babies
and satisfied everybody's sense of propriety by nursing Frederick
while he stayed in America and dining out with him twice a season
before he returned to Europe. It was all very regrettable and Sarah
would discuss it in her tactful way from time to time till, if I had
been Roger, I should have choked her. Sue would not listen to a
separation, even, and insisted that Frederick sent her plenty of
money, which Roger invested for her, and old Madam Bradley had her
often with them in Boston. Roger never discussed it; he didn't need
to. But I never knew him to be out of Boston or New York if the
Paynters were there together, and I remarked that he invariably left
word where he could be reached, day or night, when Frederick was
playing a series of concerts.

All this ran through my mind as we cut through the water and the sky
grew paler by degrees and the stars faded out. We were opposite the
buoy now, dark amongst the dark waves, and we turned at right angles
and made for the shore. The tide was high and we glided over the inner
reef easily. Soon we could see the eaves of the cottage dimly, a cock
crowed sleepily, the white pole pointed out some rough steps cut in
the rocks ahead.

That sudden sense of excitement grew in me again, a nervous longing to
get hold of Roger, to get away from my oarsman, for I was worried out
of all reason. He, to my satisfaction, at this moment proposed a
separation.

"I haven't had half enough of this," he said suddenly, "why don't you
land, Jerrolds, if you feel you ought to--though I don't see how we
can descend on Miss Prynne or anybody else at this unearthly hour--and
I'll pull about for a while? I don't doubt you'd rather see Roger
alone, anyhow, at first. When you want me, just give me a hail--I
won't be far. And tell him to have plenty of breakfast, will you?"

I agreed warmly to this and clambered up the slippery steps, still
possessed by the same muffled excitement. The beach was hard as a
floor u