e come
by the underground railway; he was close to the Marlborough Road
station and he knew the Colonel, coming to his sittings, more than once
had availed himself of that convenience. 'How in the world did she get
in?' He addressed the question to his companions indifferently.

'Let us go down to luncheon,' said Mrs. Capadose, passing out of the
room.

'We went by the garden--without troubling your servant--I wanted to show
my wife.' Lyon followed his hostess with her husband and the Colonel
stopped him at the top of the stairs. 'My dear fellow, I _can't_ have
been guilty of the folly of not fastening the door?'

'I am sure I don't know, Colonel,' Lyon said as they went down. 'It was
a very determined hand--a perfect wild-cat.'

'Well, she _is_ a wild-cat--confound her! That's why I wanted to get him
away from her.'

'But I don't understand her motive.'

'She's off her head--and she hates me; that was her motive.'

'But she doesn't hate me, my dear fellow!' Lyon said, laughing.

'She hated the picture--don't you remember she said so? The more
portraits there are the less employment for such as her.'

'Yes; but if she is not really the model she pretends to be, how can
that hurt her?' Lyon asked.

The inquiry baffled the Colonel an instant--but only an instant. 'Ah,
she was in a vicious muddle! As I say, she's off her head.'

They went into the dining-room, where Mrs. Capadose was taking her
place. 'It's too bad, it's too horrid!' she said. 'You see the fates
are against you. Providence won't let you be so disinterested--painting
masterpieces for nothing.'

'Did _you_ see the woman?' Lyon demanded, with something like a
sternness that he could not mitigate.

Mrs. Capadose appeared not to perceive it or not to heed it if she did.
'There was a person, not far from your door, whom Clement called my
attention to. He told me something about her but we were going the other
way.'

'And do you think she did it?'

'How can I tell? If she did she was mad, poor wretch.'

'I should like very much to get hold of her,' said Lyon. This was a
false statement, for he had no desire for any further conversation with
Miss Geraldine. He had exposed his friends to himself, but he had no
desire to expose them to any one else, least of all to themselves.

'Oh, depend upon it she will never show again. You're safe!' the Colonel
exclaimed.

'But I remember her address--Mortimer Terrace Mews, Notting Hill.'

'Oh, that's p