t peep in at her now, and see if she has everything she wants."
She rose from her sofa and went to Lily's room, whence she did not
return for nearly three quarters of an hour. By this time Elmore had got
out his notes, and, in their transcription and classification, had
fallen into forgetfulness of his troubles. His wife closed the door
behind her, and said in a low voice, little above a whisper, as she sank
very quietly into a chair, "Well, it has all come out, Owen."

"What has all come out?" he asked, looking up stupidly.

"I knew that she had something on her mind, by the way she acted. And
you saw her give me that look as she went out?"

"No--no, I didn't. What look was it? She looked sleepy."

"She looked terribly, terribly excited, and as if she would like to say
something to me. That was the reason I said I would let her go to her
room alone."

"Oh!"

"Of course she would have felt awfully if I had gone straight off with
her. So I waited. It _may_ never come to anything in the world, and I
don't suppose it will; but it's quite enough to account for everything
you saw in her."

"I didn't see anything in her,--that was the difficulty. But what is
it--what is it, Celia? You know how I hate these delays."

"Why, I'm not sure that I need tell you, Owen; and yet I suppose I had
better. It will be safer," said Mrs. Elmore, nursing her mystery to the
last, enjoying it for its own sake, and dreading it for its effect upon
her husband. "I suppose you will think your troubles are beginning
pretty early," she suggested.

"Is it a trouble?"

"Well, I don't know that it is. If it comes to the very worst, I dare
say that every one wouldn't call it a trouble."

Elmore threw himself back in his chair in an attitude of endurance.
"What would the worst be?"

"Why, it's no use even to discuss that, for it's perfectly absurd to
suppose that it could ever come to that. But the case," added Mrs.
Elmore, perceiving that further delay was only further suffering for her
husband, and that any fact would now probably fall far short of his
apprehensions, "is simply this, and I don't know that it amounts to
anything; but at Peschiera, just before the train started, she looked
out of the window, and saw a splendid officer walking up and down and
smoking; and before she could draw back he must have seen her, for he
threw away his cigar instantly, and got into the same compartment. He
talked awhile in German with an old gentleman