ht and many women in the
flush of a bright afternoon, but the woman who looks well in the morning
needs not always to be young to attract the appreciative gaze of a man
of real penetration. Mr. Trohm was such a man, and I did not begrudge
him the pleasure he showed in my neat gray silk and carefully adjusted
collar. But he said nothing, and a short silence ensued, which was
perhaps more of a compliment than otherwise. Then he uttered a short
sigh and lifted the reins.

"If only I were not debarred from entering," he smiled, with a short
gesture toward the house.

I did not answer. Even I understand that on occasion the tongue plays
but a sorry part in interviews of this nature.

He sighed again and uttered some short encouragement to his horse, which
started that animal up and sent him slowly pacing down the road toward
the cheerful clearing whither my own eyes were looking with what I was
determined should not be construed even by the most sanguine into a
glance of anything like wistfulness. As he went he made a bow I have
never seen surpassed in my own parlor in Gramercy Park, and upon my
bestowing upon him a return nod, glanced up at the house with an
intentness which seemed to increase as some object, invisible to me at
that moment, caught his eye. As that eye was directed toward the left
wing, and lifted as far as the second row of windows, I could not help
asking myself if he had seen the knot of crape which had produced upon
me so lugubrious an impression. Before I could make sure of this he had
passed from sight, and the highway fell again into shadow--why, I hardly
knew, for the sun certainly had been shining a few minutes before.

XXI

MOTHER JANE

"Well, well, what did Trohm want here this morning?" cried a harsh voice
from amid the tangled walks behind me. "Seems to me he finds this place
pretty interesting all of a sudden."

I turned upon the intruder with a look that should have daunted him.
I had recognized William's courteous tones and was in no mood to
endure a questioning so unbecoming in one of his age to one of mine.
But as I met his eye, which had something in it besides anger and
suspicion--something that was quizzical if not impertinent--I changed my
intention and bestowed upon him a conciliatory smile, which I hope
escaped the eye of the good angel who records against man all his small
hypocrisies and petty deceits.

"Mr. Trohm rides for his health," said I. "Seeing me looking u