You felt fairly--sure, didn't you?"

"Sure! No, I--"

"You mean you merely hoped?"

"Oh--damn!"

"Quite so. There is nothing to say. Not being a sentimentalist, I
shan't pretend to love you, John. But I gambled and I've lost. I have
always admired a good loser."

CHAPTER XXXV

Upon reaching home Benis found Aunt Caroline waiting for him just
inside the outer gate.

"I thought," she explained, "that we might talk while strolling up the
drive. Then Olive would not overhear."

The professor had quite neglected to consider Olive.

"I have told Olive," went on Aunt Caroline, "that Mrs. Spence had
received news of her father which was far from satisfactory and that
she had left for Vancouver by the early morning train. The morning
train is the only one she could have left by, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then that's all right. I also let Olive know, indirectly, that you
were remaining behind to attend to a few matters. After which you would
follow."

Admiration for this generalship pierced even the deep depression of the
professor.

"Does John know where she is?" pursued Aunt Caroline.

"No."

"Then she has gone home to her father. She said something the other day
which puzzled me. I can't remember just what it was but she seemed to
have some fatalistic idea, about her old life having a hold upon her
which she couldn't shake off. Pure morbidity, as I pointed out. But she
has gone back. I have a feeling that she has."

"You may be right, Aunt. It will be easy to find out. If I can make the
necessary inquiries without arousing gossip. There was nothing in the
mail--for me?"

"No. The man has just been. But there is something for Desire, an odd
looking package done up in foreign paper. I have it here."

Spence took from her hand a slim, yellowish packet, directed in the
crabbed writing of Li Ho.

"I can't make out whether it is 'Hon. Mrs. Professor Spence' or whether
the 'Mrs.' is 'Mr.' Perhaps you had better open it, Benis."

"Perhaps, later." Spence slipped the packet into his pocket. "It 'can't
have anything to do with our present problem.... I must make some
telephone inquiries. But if Desire has gone, Aunt, we may as well face
facts. She does not want me to follow her."

"Doesn't she?" Aunt Caroline surveyed him with a pitying smile. "How
stupid men are! But go along to the library. You've had no decent
breakfast. I'll send you in something to eat. As for Bainbridge--leave
that to me." ...

How