ought himself the hero, and me
the heroine!"

Mr. Mixter had evidently not an idea that he was being talked about; he
was too preoccupied with the ecstasy of contemplation. At this moment
Caroline Spencer came out of the house, bearing a coffee-pot on a little
tray. I noticed that on her way from the door to the table she gave me a
single quick, vaguely appealing glance. I wondered what it signified; I
felt that it signified a sort of half-frightened longing to know what,
as a man of the world who had been in France, I thought of the Countess.
It made me extremely uncomfortable. I could not tell her that the
Countess was very possibly the runaway wife of a little hair-dresser. I
tried suddenly, on the contrary, to show a high consideration for
her. But I got up; I could n't stay longer. It vexed me to see Caroline
Spencer standing there like a waiting-maid.

"You expect to remain some time at Grimwinter?" I said to the Countess.

She gave a terrible shrug.

"Who knows? Perhaps for years. When one is in misery!--_Chere belle_"
she added, turning to Miss Spencer, "you have forgotten the cognac!"

I detained Caroline Spencer as, after looking a moment in silence at the
little table, she was turning away to procure this missing delicacy. I
silently gave her my hand in farewell. She looked very tired, but there
was a strange hint of prospective patience in her severely mild little
face. I thought she was rather glad I was going. Mr. Mixter had risen to
his feet and was pouring out the Countess's coffee. As I went back past
the Baptist church I reflected that poor Miss Spencer had been right in
her presentiment that she should still see something of that dear old
Europe.

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