on. 'Then
was there never anything of the nature of what they call Words between
you and your husband, ma'am?'

'Never.' The word was colourlessly spoken; but every one felt that a
crass misunderstanding of the possibilities of conduct in the case of a
person like Mrs Manderson had been visited with some severity.

Did she know, the coroner asked, of any other matter which might have
been preying upon her husband's mind recently?

Mrs Manderson knew of none whatever. The coroner intimated that her
ordeal was at an end, and the veiled lady made her way to the door. The
general attention, which followed her for a few moments, was now eagerly
directed upon Martin, whom the coroner had proceeded to call.

It was at this moment that Trent appeared at the doorway and edged his
way into the great room. But he did not look at Martin. He was observing
the well-balanced figure that came quickly toward him along an opening
path in the crowd, and his eye was gloomy. He started, as he stood aside
from the door with a slight bow, to hear Mrs Manderson address him by
name in a low voice. He followed her a pace or two into the hall.

'I wanted to ask you,' she said in a voice now weak and oddly broken,
'if you would give me your arm a part of the way to the house. I could
not see my uncle near the door, and I suddenly felt rather faint.... I
shall be better in the air.... No, no; I cannot stay here--please, Mr
Trent!' she said, as he began to make an obvious suggestion. 'I must go
to the house.' Her hand tightened momentarily on his arm as if, for all
her weakness, she could drag him from the place; then again she leaned
heavily upon it, and with that support, and with bent head, she walked
slowly from the hotel and along the oak-shaded path toward White Gables.

Trent went in silence, his thoughts whirling, dancing insanely to a
chorus of 'Fool! fool!' All that he alone knew, all that he guessed and
suspected of this affair, rushed through his brain in a rout; but the
touch of her unnerved hand upon his arm never for an instant left
his consciousness, filling him with an exaltation that enraged and
bewildered him. He was still cursing himself furiously behind the
mask of conventional solicitude that he turned to the lady when he
had attended her to the house and seen her sink upon a couch in the
morning-room. Raising her veil, she thanked him gravely and frankly,
with a look of sincere gratitude in her eyes. She was much better n