knows no care, and extravagantly admired the roses he
forgot that he had sent. The same mechanical self stood beside his
wife and stepdaughter at the coming of the guests, spoke its automatic
greetings, and extended its automatic hand.

For one brief instant the opiate lifted. The endless smirking
procession had cast Ludlow to the front. The man was lingering with
easy assurance between mother and daughter.

"Which is the debutante?" he asked.

Shelby could have felled him for taking the girl's hand--Cora's
mattered nothing. But what of his own hand? Milicent's fan suddenly
escaped its fastening, and as suddenly he caught at the pretext for
which he groped. Again in his place, Ludlow had drifted by with no
word spoken between them. He sighed with relief, and in the same
breath cursed himself and the conventions which compelled such cunning.
In a rational world he could have knocked him down.

Once again that evening they came face to face. It was late--past one
o'clock--and the governor issuing from the smoking-room met Ludlow at
the threshold. No one was within earshot; fate itself seemed to have
ordered the meeting, and till that moment Shelby had desired to
confront Ludlow with a fierce desire. Yet they passed with a nod.
Long uncertain before many offering courses, Shelby on the instant made
his choice.

The orchestra hushed, the last good night spoken, Milicent gone to her
dreams, the house half in darkness, he intercepted Cora in the corridor
leading to her apartments.

"Ten minutes of your time," he requested.

She stared, yawned, and stared again.

"At this hour?"

"Now."

She led the way into her dressing-room and sent away her maid. Shelby
waited silently by the open grate till they should be alone.

"You're rather pale," observed his wife, languidly, in passing to a
chair; and with finger tip lightly brushed his cheek.

He shrank involuntarily.

"Pale and nervous," she added, "and a fit subject for bed. Was Old
Silky disagreeable to-day? I thought him as sweet as peaches tonight.
Did you notice Mrs. Van Dam's famous diamonds? It's not often she
wears them all. Milicent got her to do it."

"I was in the greenhouse before dinner, Cora," said Shelby, speaking
with slow emphasis. "I saw you and Ludlow."

"Oh, yes," returned the woman, glibly, "we were wondering whether the
large drawing-room needed a few more palms."

"I saw you and Ludlow in one another's arms," pursued her h