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at the novelty of the perfectly natural toss and grimace with which
Mrs。 Blandford received this statement。
〃I think he's been pointed out to me somewhere；〃 she said；
thoughtfully； 〃he's a tall； dark； dissipated…looking man。〃
〃Nothing of the kind；〃 laughed her husband。 〃He's middle…sized and
as blond as your cousin Joe； only he's got a long yellow moustache；
and has a quick； abrupt way of talking。 He isn't at all fancy…
looking； you'd take him for an energetic business man or a doctor；
if you didn't know him。 So you see； Joan； this correct little wife
of mine has been a little； just a little； prejudiced。〃
He drew her again gently backwards and nearer his seat； but she
caught his wrists in her slim hands； and rising from the chair at
the same moment； dexterously slipped from his embrace with her back
towards him。 〃I do not know why I should be unprejudiced by
anything you've told me；〃 she said； sharply closing the book of
sermons； and； with her back still to her husband； reinstating it
formally in its place on the cabinet。 〃It's probably one of his
many scandalous pursuits of defenceless and believing women； and
he； no doubt； goes off to Boston； laughing at you for thinking him
in earnest； and as ready to tell his story to anybody else and
boast of his double deceit。〃 Her voice had a touch of human
asperity in it now； which he had never before noticed； but
recognizing； as he thought； the human cause； it was far from
exciting his displeasure。
〃Wrong again； Joan； he's waiting here at the Independence House for
me to see him to…morrow；〃 he returned； cheerfully。 〃And I believe
him so much in earnest that I would be ready to swear that not
another person will ever know the story but you and I and he。 No；
it is a real thing with him； he's dead in love； and it's your duty
as a Christian to help him。〃
There was a moment of silence。 Mrs。 Blandford remained by the
cabinet； methodically arranging some small articles displaced by
the return of the book。 〃Well；〃 she said； suddenly； 〃you don't
tell me what mother had to say。 Of course； as you came home
earlier than you expected； you had time to stop THEREonly four
doors from this house。〃
〃Well； no； Joan；〃 replied Blandford； in awkward discomfiture。 〃You
see I met Dick first； and thenthen I hurried here to youand
andI clean forgot it。 I'm very sorry；〃 he added； dejectedly。
〃And I more deeply so；〃 she returned； with her previous bloodless
moral precision； 〃for she probably knows by this time； Edward； why
you have omitted your usual Sabbath visit； and with WHOM you were。〃
〃But I can pull on my boots again and run in there for a moment；〃
he suggested； dubiously； 〃if you think it necessary。 It won't take
me a moment。〃
〃No；〃 she said； positively； 〃it is so late now that your visit
would only show it to be a second thought。 I will go myselfit
will be a call for us both。〃
〃But shall I go with you to the door？ It is dark and sleeting；〃
suggested Blandford； eagerly。
〃No；〃 she replied； peremptorily。 〃Stay where you are； and when
Ezekiel and Bridget come in send them to bed； for I have made
everything fast in the kitchen。 Don't wait up for me。〃
She left the room； and in a few moments returned； wrapped from head
to foot in an enormous plaid shawl。 A white woollen scarf thrown
over her bare brown head； and twice rolled around her neck； almost
concealed her face from view。 When she had parted from her
husband； and reached the darkened hall below； she drew from beneath
the folds of her shawl a thick blue veil； with which she completely
enveloped her features。 As she opened the front door and peered
out into the night； her own husband would have scarcely recognized
her。
With her head lowered against the keen wind she walked rapidly down
the street and stopped for an instant at the door of the fourth
house。 Glancing quickly back at the house she had left and then at
the closed windows of the one she had halted before； she gathered
her skirts with one hand and sped away from both； never stopping
until she reached the door of the Independence Hotel。
CHAPTER III
Mrs。 Blandford entered the side door boldly。 Luckily for her； the
austerities of the Sabbath were manifest even here； the bar…room
was closed； and the usual loungers in the passages were absent。
Without risking the recognition of her voice in an inquiry to the
clerk； she slipped past the office； still muffled in her veil； and
quickly mounted the narrow staircase。 For an instant she hesitated
before the public parlor； and glanced dubiously along the half…lit
corridor。 Chance befriended her； the door of a bedroom opened at
that moment； and Richard Demorest； with his overcoat and hat on；
stepped out in the hall。
With a quick and nervous gesture of her hand she beckoned him to
approach。 He came towards her leisurely； with an amused curiosity
that suddenly changed to utter astonishment as she hurriedly lifted
her veil； dropped it； turned； and glided down the staircase into
the street again。 He followed rapidly； but did not overtake her
until she had reached the corner； when she slackened her pace an
instant for him to join her。
〃Lulu；〃 he said eagerly； 〃is it you？〃
〃Not a word here；〃 she said； breathlessly。 〃Follow me at a
distance。〃
She started forward again in the direction of her own house。
He followed her at a sufficient interval to keep her faintly
distinguishable figure in sight until she had crossed three
streets； and near the end of the next block glided up the steps of
a house not far from the one where he remembered to have left
Blandford。 As he joined her； she had just succeeded in opening the
door with a pass…key； and was awaiting him。 With a gesture of
silence she took his hand in her cold fingers； and leading him
softly through the dark hall and passage； quickly entered the
kitchen。 Here she lit a candle； turned； and faced him。 He could
see that the outside shutters were bolted； and the kitchen
evidently closed for the night。
As she removed the veil from her face he made a movement as if to
regain her hand again； but she drew it away。
〃You have forced this upon me；〃 she said hurriedly； 〃and it may be
ruin to us both。 Why have you betrayed me？〃
〃Betrayed you； LuluGood God！ what do you mean？〃
She looked him full in the eye； and then said slowly； 〃Do you mean
to say that you have told no one of our meetings？〃
〃Only onemy old friend Blandford； who lives Ah； yes！ I see it
now。 You are neighbors。 He has betrayed me。 This house is〃
〃My father's！〃 she replied boldly。
The momentary uneasiness passed from Demorest's resolute face。 His
old self…sufficiency returned。 〃Good；〃 he said； with a frank
laugh； 〃that will do for me。 Open the door there； Lulu； and take
me to him。 I'm not ashamed of anything I've done； my girl； nor
need you be。 I'll tell him my real name is Dick Demorest； as I
ought to have told you before； and that I want to marry you； fairly
and squarely； and let him make the conditions。 I'm not a vagabond
nor a thief； Lulu； if I have met you on the sly。 Come； dear； let
us end this now。 Come〃
But she had thrown herself before him and placed her hand upon his
lips。 〃Hush！ are you mad？ Listen to me； I tell youpleaseoh；
dono you must not！〃 He had covered her hand with kisses and was
drawing her face towards his own。 〃Nonot again； it was wrong
then； it is monstrous now。 I implore you； listen； if you love me；
stop。〃
He released her。 She sank into a chair by the kitchen…table； and
buried her flushed face in her hands。
He stood for a moment motionless before her。 〃Lulu； if that is
your name；〃 he said slowly； but gently； 〃tell me all now。 Be frank
with me； and trust me。 If there is anything stands in the way； let
me know what it is and I can overcome it。 If it is my telling Ned
Blandford； don't let that worry you； he's as loyal a fellow as ever
breathed； and I'm a dog to ever think he willingly betrayed us。
His wife； well； she's one of those pious saintsbut no； she would
not be such a cursed hypocrite and bigot as this。〃
〃Hush； I tell you！ WILL you hush；〃 she said； in a frantic whisper；
springing to her feet an