two. I hate Paris in the hot
weather, anyway. And it'll be fun to be by ourselves ... and we'll have
long walks.... Would you like that?"

The dark wave of blood surging into Frederick's temples made her look
curiously at him. Why should he be embarrassed at such a suggestion?

"As you please, my dear," he interrupted her thought.

Madelene sighed. He did look ill. It might be the hot weather, but he
had such a strange, detached manner most of the time ... as if he were
far away ... or she was. Her mind was busy with the problem. She could
not eat.

Frederick, too, was but toying with his breakfast. He was wondering just
what Madelene was planning to do in the country. It would be even harder
for him there than in the city. With Tessibel's face always between
them, he could not make a lover's love to her anywhere.

An hour or so later, while Frederick had gone to smoke under the trees,
his wife stood critically studying her reflection in the glass ... with
but few misgivings. She was pretty, surely so, and very rich! What more
could a man want? In the coolness of the country, Frederick would be
better. He would lose his moroseness and give his undivided attention to
her. She would make all the arrangements for the change without
disturbing him. He should not be bothered a little bit; and Madelene
grew quite happy again with the thought of having Frederick all to
herself in some romantic country spot.

She summoned her maid, and for a while with the aid of the hotel
officials, she sought for a place near Paris, yet far enough away to
escape its harassing heat and noises. By night Madelene had decided upon
a farm near the village of Epernon.

"We can get in to the city to shop, Marie," she told her maid. "But Mr.
Graves simply can't stand the hot weather in town."

"He does look sick and worried, ma'am, doesn't he?" agreed the maid.

Twenty-four hours later Frederick and Madelene were settled in a pretty
villa nestled at the edge of the forest. Nature in its noblest
expression surrounded them. At the going down of the sun, Madelene stood
beside her husband on the porch, and pressed her cheek fondly against
his shoulder.

"It's so beautiful, isn't it, dear?" she whispered coaxingly.

Out of his wife's words and the gentle gloaming, came a deadly sense of
loneliness. A shiver shook Frederick from head to foot. His only answer
was an ejaculated affirmative in a hoarse voice. The weird sighing of
the trees took h