hes
without a good-night, she hurried to her carriage, drawing up the glass
with a hasty hand, though the night was balmy.

For a few moments none of those left on the steps spoke, except to fret
in undertones for an absent carriage. Then Ashe saw his own groom, and
stormed at him for delay. In another minute he and Kitty were in the
carriage, and the figures under the porch dropped out of sight.

* * * * *

"Better not do that again, Kitty, I think," said Ashe.

Kitty glanced at him. But both voice and manner were as usual. "Why
shouldn't I?" she said, haughtily; he saw that she had grown very white.
"I was telling Geoffrey where to find me at Lord's."

Ashe winced at the "Archangelism" of the Christian name.

"You kept Lady Parham waiting."

"What does that matter?" said Kitty, with an angry laugh.

"And you did Cliffe too much honor," said Ashe. "It's the men who should
stand on the steps--not the women!"

Kitty sat erect. "What do you mean?" she said, in a low, menacing voice.

"Just what I say," was the laughing reply.

Kitty threw herself back in her corner, and could not be induced to open
her lips or look at her companion till they reached home.

On the landing, however, outside her bedroom, she turned and said:
"Don't, please, say impertinent things to me again!" And drawn up to her
full height, the most childish and obstinate of tragedy queens, she
swept into her room.

Ashe went into his dressing-room. And almost immediately afterwards he
heard the key turn in the lock which separated his room from Kitty's.

For the first time since their marriage! He threw himself on his bed,
and passed some sleepless hours. Then fatigue had its way. When he
awoke, there was a gray dawn in the room, and he was conscious of
something pressing against his bed. Half asleep, he raised himself and
saw Kitty, in a long white dressing-gown, sitting curled up on the
floor, or rather on a pillow, her head resting on the edge of the bed.
In a glass opposite he saw the languid grace of her slight form and the
cloud of her hair.

"Kitty"--he tried to shake himself into full consciousness--"do go to
bed!"

"Lie down," said Kitty, lifting her arm and pressing him down, "and
don't say anything. I shall go to sleep."

He lay down obediently. Presently he felt that her cheek was resting on
one of his hands, and in his semi-consciousness he laid the other on her
hair. Then they both fell asl