ed
self. He wore, in all seasons, very dark or black clothing, which was
always in perfect condition, and fitted his well-proportioned figure
trimly and closely rather than with the looser English cut. His dark
eyes looked down upon her with their usual caressing smile and his
clean-shaven face, with its finely modeled, regular features, was as
handsome, as refined, as ever.

But, no,--his secretary was conscious of something in its expression
she had never noticed there before. What with the rejoicing that
filled her heart and the work that kept her hands and brain busy all
the rest of the day, she had not time to think what it was, or to give
it any definite form in her thoughts, until her homeward trip by
subway, ferry and trolley gave her leisure to scan closely the
happenings of the afternoon.

Even then she merely said to herself that there was something in his
face and eyes that did not seem quite like him, something that was not
so "nice" as he had always seemed to be. She did not know enough about
the evil undercurrents of life to give the thing more specific
definition. But she did know that, whatever it was, it stirred, deep
within her, a faint sense of repulsion.

"Did you get my letter?" was one of the first things he said to her.

"No, Mr. Brand, I've heard nothing at all from you since you left."

"You didn't? That's queer. I gave it to the porter to mail and he
probably forgot all about it. I went away so hurriedly I didn't have
time to write until after I got aboard the train. There were some
directions in it about the work here. Well, we'll have to go back and
take things up where we left off. And the first thing is that letter I
wrote and asked you not to send. Where is it?"

"Oh, I ventured to mail that--I knew how important it was, and I found
out enough about the business to feel sure you would want me to."

"You did! How fortunate!"

"Then it was all right? I am so glad! But I don't deserve all the
credit. Your friend, Mr. Hugh Gordon, was here----"

"What! That fellow? Did he dare to come here?"

The start, the sudden turn, the sharp exclamation with which Brand
broke into her sentence were so different from his habitual manner of
deliberate movement and courteous speech that Henrietta gazed at him
in amazement. Surprise and indignation sat upon his countenance.

"Why, yes," she faltered. "He was here several times. The first time,
a few days after you left, he told me he knew you wa