, and Shima delivered the
missive as if it were most usual to find one's mistress beflounced in
peignoir and petticoats, hanging breathless over the baluster.

"Take that back," she said coldly, "and tell him that I am out; and,
Shima,"--she addressed the man's intelligence--"make him understand it."

She watched the note departing. How she longed to call Shima back and
open it! There was a pause--then Kerr emerged from the drawing-room. As
he crossed the hall he glanced up at the stair and as much as was
visible of the landing. He hadn't taken Shima's word for it, after all!

The vestibule door closed noiselessly after him, the outer door shut
with a heavy sound. Yet before that sound had ceased to vibrate, she
heard it shut again. Was he coming back? There was a presence in the
vestibule very vaguely seen through the glass and lace of the inner
door. Her heart beat with apprehension. The door opened upon Clara.

Flora precipitately retreated. She was more disturbed than relieved by
the unexpected appearance. For Clara must have seen Kerr leave the
house. Three times now within three days he had been found with her or
waiting for her. She wondered if Clara would ask her awkward questions.
But Clara, when she entered Flora's dressing-room a few moments later
with the shopping-list, instead of a question, offered a statement.

"I don't like that man," she announced.

"Who?"

"That Kerr. I met him just now on the steps. Don't you feel there is
something wrong about him?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Flora vaguely.

Clara gave her a bright glance.

"But you weren't at home to him."

"I'm not at home to any one this morning," Flora answered evasively,
feeling the probe of Clara's eyes. "I'm feeling ill. I'm not going out
this evening either. I think I'll ring up Burlingame and tell Harry." It
was in her mind that she might manage to make him stay with her while
Clara went on to the reception.

"Burlingame! Harry!" Clara echoed in surprise. "Why, he's in town. I saw
him just now as I was coming up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. He was walking up Clay from Kearney. I was in the car."

"Why that--that is--" Flora stammered in her surprise. "Then something
must have kept him," she altered her sentence quickly. But though this
seemed the probable explanation she did not believe it. Harry walking
toward Chinatown, when he had told her distinctly he would be in
Burlingame! She thought of the goldsmith shop and there retu