as the carriage whipped away, till a knot of school children
gathered at his heels with round eyes centred on the cobbles which
apparently engrossed him. Shelby recalled himself, and hurried on to
his own door.

"I shall lunch at home to-day," he said to a servant in the hall.
"Please tell my wife."

The man handed him a sealed note explaining:--

"Mrs. Shelby went out about an hour ago. She asked me to give you
this."

Shelby carried the note to his room before he opened it.

"I can't keep my promise," it ran. "I saw him to-day. He wants me.
Good-by."

CHAPTER VIII

He, no less than Ruth, was free! There was no dissociating the two
facts. They shouted their message together. He was rid of his
incubus--why mince the word now!--rid of her gadfly vulgarity, her
shallow emotions, her pinch-beck ideals, her hideous selfishness. By
her own rash act she had freed him to marry the woman he loved with all
his rugged strength--the woman who that memorable September day had
proved loved him. What was the transient chatter of the world beside
this verity! What might he not achieve in the new life! What station
could he not now find confidence to fill!

A knock distracted, without wholly rousing him. Milicent entered.

"I hear you're to lunch at home, father," she said. "The gong has
sounded twice."

He stared vacantly into her young eyes; her very existence had been
blotted from his recollection.

"Aren't you well?" She came to him. "I shall be glad when the
Legislature stops worrying you and goes home."

He crushed his wife's note into a pocket.

"Yes; I'm well," he answered slowly. "Just worried--as you say.
That's all. I thought an hour at home would help--home quiet, you
know--home--"

There was a frightened widening of her gray eyes, and Shelby pulled
himself together.

"But I can't lunch with you after all, little girl," he told her
hurriedly. "I find I must go back. It seems your mother is--is out.
Perhaps you know--"

He stopped. What did she know?

"I'm just in from a turn about Washington Park," explained the girl.
"The maple buds are all bursting. And you should see the crocuses."

"Your mother has been called out of town. She will be gone all night,
probably--perhaps longer. You had best ask some friends in to stay
with you. It will cheer us up. Now go down to your luncheon. You
mustn't let me spoil it for you."

"But you're _not_ well," she insisted.

"I am