one
with Mountjoy yet--she invited him to dinner on the next day.

"Our early hour is three o'clock," she said modestly. "Pray join us. I
hope to have the pleasure of introducing my husband."

Mountjoy had his reasons for wishing to see the husband. As he accepted
the invitation, Miss Henley returned to accompany him to the inn.

Iris put the inevitable question to Hugh as soon as they were out of
the doctor's house--"What do you say of Mrs. Vimpany now?"

"I say that she must have been once an actress," Mountjoy answered;
"and that she carries her experience of the stage into private life."

"What do you propose to do next?"

"I propose to wait, and see Mrs. Vimpany's husband to-morrow."

"Why?"

"Mrs. Vimpany, my dear, is too clever for me. If--observe, please, that
I do her the justice of putting it in that way--if she is really Lord
Harry's creature, employed to keep watch on you, and to inform him of
your next place of residence in England, I own that she has completely
deceived me. In that case, it is just possible that the husband is not
such a finished and perfect humbug as the wife. I may be able to see
through him. I can but try."

Iris sighed. "I almost hope you may not succeed," she said.

Mountjoy was puzzled, and made no attempt to conceal it. "I thought you
only wanted to get at the truth," he answered.

"My mind might be easier, perhaps, if I was left in doubt," she
suggested. "A perverse way of thinking has set up my poor opinion
against yours. But I am getting back to my better sense. I believe you
were entirely right when you tried to prevent me from rushing to
conclusions; it is more than likely that I have done Mrs. Vimpany an
injustice. Oh, Hugh, I ought to keep a friend--I who have so few
friends--when I have got one! And there is another feeling in me which
I must not conceal from you. When I remember Lord Harry's noble conduct
in trying to save poor Arthur, I cannot believe him capable of such
hateful deceit as consenting to our separation, and then having me
secretly watched by a spy. What monstrous inconsistency! Can anybody
believe it? Can anybody account for it?"

"I think I can account for it, Iris, if you will let me make the
attempt. You are mistaken to begin with."

"How am I mistaken?"

"You shall see. There is no such creature as a perfectly consistent
human being on the face of the earth--and, strange as it may seem to
you, the human beings themselves are not aware of