ned back
toward Fifth Avenue. She was not used to being out alone at that hour.

At the corner of Fifth Avenue she paused and stood watching the stream
of carriages. At last a policeman caught sight of her and signed to her
that he would take her across. She had not meant to cross the street,
but she obeyed automatically, and presently found herself on the
farther corner. There she paused again for a moment; but she fancied the
policeman was watching her, and this sent her hastening down the nearest
side street... After that she walked a long time, vaguely... Night had
fallen, and now and then, through the windows of a passing carriage, she
caught the expanse of an evening waistcoat or the shimmer of an opera
cloak...

Suddenly she found herself in a familiar street. She stood still a
moment, breathing quickly. She had turned the corner without noticing
whither it led; but now, a few yards ahead of her, she saw the house
in which she had once lived--her first husband's house. The blinds were
drawn, and only a faint translucence marked the windows and the transom
above the door. As she stood there she heard a step behind her, and a
man walked by in the direction of the house. He walked slowly, with a
heavy middle-aged gait, his head sunk a little between the shoulders,
the red crease of his neck visible above the fur collar of his overcoat.
He crossed the street, went up the steps of the house, drew forth a
latch-key, and let himself in...

There was no one else in sight. Julia leaned for a long time against the
area-rail at the corner, her eyes fixed on the front of the house. The
feeling of physical weariness had returned, but the strong tea still
throbbed in her veins and lit her brain with an unnatural clearness.
Presently she heard another step draw near, and moving quickly away, she
too crossed the street and mounted the steps of the house. The impulse
which had carried her there prolonged itself in a quick pressure of the
electric bell--then she felt suddenly weak and tremulous, and grasped
the balustrade for support. The door opened and a young footman with
a fresh inexperienced face stood on the threshold. Julia knew in an
instant that he would admit her.

"I saw Mr. Arment going in just now," she said. "Will you ask him to see
me for a moment?"

The footman hesitated. "I think Mr. Arment has gone up to dress for
dinner, madam."

Julia advanced into the hall. "I am sure he will see me--I will not
detain