eople you love!"

She was surprised that he smiled--a smile that conveyed more pain than
amusement.

"It is hard," he said.

This closed the evening. The next morning Vincent went down-town. He
went about half-past ten. Adelaide, breakfasting in her room and dressing
at her leisure, did not appear until after eleven, and then discovered
for the first time that her husband had gone. She was angry at Mathilde,
who had breakfasted with him, at Pringle, for not telling her what was
happening.

"You shouldn't have let him go, Mathilde," she said. "You are old enough
to have some judgment in such matters. He is not strong enough. He almost
fainted yesterday."

"But, Mama," protested the girl, "I could not stop Mr. Farron. I don't
think even you could have if he'd made up his mind."

"Tell Pringle to order the motor at once," was her mother's answer.

Her distraction at her husband's imprudence touched Mathilde so that she
forgot everything else between them.

"O Mama," she said, "I'm so sorry you're worried! I'm sorry I'm one of
your worries; but don't you see I love Pete just as you do Mr. Farron?"

"God help you, then!" said Adelaide, quickly, and went to her room to
put on with a haste none the less meticulous her small velvet hat, her
veil, her spotless, pale gloves, her muff, and warm coat.

She drove to Vincent's office. It was not really care for his health that
drove her, but the restlessness of despair; she had reached a point where
she was more wretched away from him than with him.

The office was high in a gigantic building. Every one knew her by sight,
the giant at the door and the men in the elevators. Once in the office
itself, a junior partner hurried to her side.

"So glad to see Vincent back again," he said, proud of the fact that he
called his present partner and late employer by his first name. "You want
to see him?" There was a short hesitation. "He left word not to be
disturbed--"

"Who is there?" Adelaide asked.

"Dr. Parret."

"He's not been taken ill?"

He tried to reassure her, but Adelaide, without waiting or listening,
moved at once to Vincent's door and opened it. As she did so she heard,
him laughing and then she saw that he was laughing at the words of the
handsomest woman she had ever seen. A great many people had this first
impression of Lily Parret. Lily was standing on the opposite side of the
table from him, leaning with both palms flat on the polished wood,
telling him