s? And
what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say, Major, that I felt particularly sensible of your
kind welcome because, as it happens, I have a favor to ask of you."

I was conscious, while I spoke, that I was approaching the object of my
visit a little too abruptly. But Major Fitz-David's admiration rose
from one climax to another with such alarming rapidity that I felt the
importance of administering a practical check to it. I trusted to those
ominous words, "a favor to ask of you," to administer the check, and I
did not trust in vain. My aged admirer gently dropped my hand, and, with
all possible politeness, changed the subject.

"The favor is granted, of course!" he said. "And now, tell me, how is
our dear Eustace?"

"Anxious and out of spirits." I answered.

"Anxious and out of spirits!" repeated the Major. "The enviable man who
is married to You anxious and out of spirits? Monstrous! Eustace fairly
disgusts me. I shall take him off the list of my friends."

"In that case, take me off the list with him, Major. I am in wretched
spirits too. You are my husband's old friend. I may acknowledge to _you_
that our married life is just now not quite a happy one."

Major Fitz-David lifted his eyebrows (dyed to match his whiskers) in
polite surprise.

"Already!" he exclaimed. "What can Eustace be made of? Has he no
appreciation of beauty and grace? Is he the most insensible of living
beings?"

"He is the best and dearest of men," I answered. "But there is some
dreadful mystery in his past life--"

I could get no further; Major Fitz-David deliberately stopped me. He did
it with the smoothest politeness, on the surface. But I saw a look in
his bright little eyes which said, plainly, "If you _will_ venture on
delicate ground, madam, don't ask me to accompany you."

"My charming friend!" he exclaimed. "May I call you my charming friend?
You have--among a thousand other delightful qualities which I can see
already--a vivid imagination. Don't let it get the upper hand. Take an
old fellow's advice; don't let it get the upper hand! What can I offer
you, dear Mrs. Woodville? A cup of tea?"

"Call me by my right name, sir," I answered, boldly. "I have made a
discovery. I know as well as you do that my name is Macallan."

The Major started, and looked at me very attentively. His manner became
grave, his tone changed completely, when he spoke next.

"May I ask," he said, "if you have communicated to your husban