l explain to-morrow."

She made a rapid, repeated gesture of her hands towards the door,
frowning. Leo Ulford stood for an instant looking heavy and sulky, then,
pushing out his rosy lips in a sort of indignant pout, he swung round
on his heels. As he did so, Lord Holme came into the room holding the
bottle of eau de Cologne. When he saw Leo he stopped. Leo stopped too,
and they stood for a moment staring at each other. Lady Holme, who was
still by the open window, did not move. There was complete silence in
the room. Then Leo dropped the latch-key. It fell on the thick carpet
without a noise. He made a hasty, lumbering movement to pick it up, but
Lord Holme was too quick for him. When Lady Holme saw the key in her
husband's hand she moved at last and came forward into the middle of the
room.

"Mr. Ulford's come to tell me about the Blaxtons' dance," she said.

She spoke in her usual light voice, without tremor or uncertainty. Her
face was perfectly calm and smiling. Leo Ulford cleared his throat.

"Yes," he said loudly, "about the Blaxtons' dance."

Lord Holme stood looking at the latch-key. Suddenly his face swelled up
and became bloated, and large veins stood out in his brown forehead.

"What's this key?" he said.

He held it out towards his wife. Neither she nor Leo Ulford replied to
his question.

"What's this key?" he repeated.

"The key of Mr. Ulford's house, I suppose," said Lady Holme. "How should
I know?"

"I'm not askin' you," said her husband.

He came a step nearer to Leo.

"Why the devil don't you answer?" he said to him.

"It's my latch-key," said Leo, with an attempt at a laugh.

Lord Holme flung it in his face.

"You damned liar!" he said. "It's mine."

And he struck him full in the face where the key had just struck him.

Leo returned the blow. When she saw that, Lady Holme passed the two men
and went quickly out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Holding
her hands over her ears, she hurried upstairs to her bedroom. It was in
darkness. She felt about on the wall for the button that turned on
the electric light, but could not find it. Her hands, usually deft and
certain in their movements, seemed to have lost the sense of touch. It
was as if they had abruptly been deprived of their minds. She felt
and felt. She knew the button was there. Suddenly the room was full of
light. Without being aware of it she had found the button and turned
it. In the light she looked down at her