A Modern Chronicle -- Volume 04

t evening, "I've been goi

imed, looking up f

Farnham built-she is now Mrs. Rindge. It is just finished, and so attr

ted, "what put the notion of

ng of the winter?" she asked. "I

an evident desperate attempt to rally hi

g about going to

e replied. "Surely you didn't expec

ed, and added incons

calmly, "I have a life

ntil you got to Quicksands,

lared. "You know very well that if you were unfortunat

ow?" he demand

le humiliating not to have more of your confid

sted in business matters

and I ought to know-I want to know. The reason I don't understand is because you've never taken the trouble to teach me. I wish to lead my own life, it is true-to develop. I don't want to be like these other women down here. I-I was made for something better. I'm

lplessly, with the air of a man who suddenly fi

!" she cried. "I might ha

too strong a word. He got up awkwardly and put his hand on her arm. She did n

hought we were happy. You were getting on all right, and seemed to b

oked at him-a long, search

ou don't understand. I su

to see you-upset like this. I'll do

ou, whatever you are, if you are. I want to be saved. Take care of me-see a little more of me-be a little interested in what I think. God gave me a mind, and-other men have

nterest me,"

ook he

business," she said;

I'll try to brace up." He pressed her to him. "Don't feel badly. You're overwrought. You've exaggerated the situation, Honora. W

bout the house," said Ho

ngly, "you'll feel diff

d look at i

. Howard had not thought of consulting her in regard to remaining all winter in Quicksands. And, although he might not realize it himself, if he should consent to go to New York one reason for his acquiescence would be that the country in winter off

e dressed rapidly she heard her husband whistling in his room. It is idle to speculate on the phenomenon taking place within her, and it may merely be remarked in passing that she

claimed, as she appeared

happened

, smilingly, as she poured out her coff

is newspaper ag

Mrs. Farnham-or Mrs. Ri

don't know,"

eft her five mi

to do with it?"

, especially in that par

e the house. You know you proposed it yoursel

, but his eye from time to time wandered from th

ummer. Here's a note from her saying she'll be in town to-morrow for the Charities Conferen

he said. "It wo

u?" she

that. And I wouldn't spend another day at Silverdale

moking car and they were about to disembark at Lo

arent astonishment. "Up at dawn

house," explained Honora, "a

't think me a judge of houses, but I am. I've lived in so

d Howard, smiling. There, on the deck of the ferryboat, in the flooding sunlight, the idea

by a scarcely perceptible wink. "I shouldn't like to take the other end of the bet. Why

little, uncomfortably. Trixton

al manner for the ordeal to come by smoking a cigarette, for the arrival of su

nt. She was a little uncomfortable, an

orning," he observed; "we might have gone in that. It landed three days a

lieved by the change of subject. "To drive

the garage and consents to move out," he sa

ld appear at no lunch or dinner party without being subjected to a shower of questions as to where it was, and as many as half a dozen different women among whom was Mrs. Cha

and opened the wrought-iron gate that guarded the entrance, and the massive front door. Honora had a sense of unreality as they entered, and told herself it was obviously ridiculous that she should aspire to such a dwelling. Yes

uicksands: it carried her back, by undiscernible channels of thought, to the impression which, in her childhood, the Hanbury mansion had always made. Howard, in her present whimsical fancy, even seemed a little grotesque

id, poking with his stick a marmouset of the carved stone mant

y. She looked out o

or an architect, but if I were in your place I'd take that carriage and

n some surprise, as on

nions were usually

he did not like to d

there may be something to the argument. It giv

's-eye," said Trixt

y to begin on this sc

s on you, old fellow, I thought you knew a thing or two, and you've made a few turns since that confirmed the opinion. But I'm beginning to perceive that you

d with a sense of shame, which was due not solely to the fact that she was a little conscience-stricken because of her innocent complicity, nor that her husband did not resent an obvious attempt of a high-ha

any longer," she said. "

re's something about the place that gro

n't want it. I only wished him to look at it," she added, scornfully aware that she was taking up the cudgels in his

inly declared that he deemed her last remarks to be the quintessence of tactics; and he obst

ted," he said, as he put her into the

the house, and once she even got so far as to take down the receiver. But when she reflected, it seemed an impossible thing to do. At four o'clock she herself was called to the tel

here he was goin

s. Spence," Cray replied, a

he realizes that people are com

d, that he'll be back some time

hat she gradually regained an equable frame of mind. The uneasiness, the vague fear of the future, wore away,

ten from a New York club, asking her to lunch with him at Delmonico's that day and drive home in the

e, was to call on Mrs. Holt at that lady's hotel; and then she remembered that the Charities Conference began at eleven, and decided to pay a visit to Madame Dumond, who made a specialty of importing novelties in dr

ed in an ecstasy she did not attempt to hide. What a satisfaction to sell things to Mrs. Spence! Some ladies she could mention would look like frights

ars!" excla

you?" Novelties were nov

thorities

sparkled, and New York was showing signs of animation. She glanced furtively into the little mirror at the side. Her veil was grey, and with the hat ga

the first person Honora met in the vestibule of Delmonico's was Lula Chandos. She was, as usual, elaborately d

ard at the hat and the veil, "have

sessed Honora as s

"and I was sure she was coming here to lunch. Trixy ju

urned into a de

said, but the brevity of her reply see

the entrance to the

ing at them from the end of the hall,

coat," said Honora, outwardly calm but inwardly despe

veil, my dear," Mrs. C

e all dining with you t

She gave her coat to the maid, rearranged her hair without any apparent reason, and was leisu

e explained. "Mr. Grainger and

, with such a distinct

looked at

llway. "She's like molasses-one can never get her off. Lucky thing he found Cecil and me here. There's your persistent friend, Trixy," she

os and two other Quicksands women, Mrs. Randall and

used glance at Brent, who had not deigned to answer her. "I promised to go to

e police have been looking for him for a fort

ks," replied Mr G

ausible to Honora, appeared to afford grea

come to life?"

. Grainger, quite as

uriously at Honora,

shamed of yourself

ntly. "There's nothing

ks-is the

Grainger, bli

clared Mrs. Kame, "ha

ay at a charity pow-wow, reading a paper. I've half a mind to go over

ep and spoil it

ber we're going to Westchester to the Faunces' to spend t

Mr. Grainger, and he drank th

t. "If you start right after lunch, I'll take you out. We'll have plent

d anxiously. "I have peo

unheard-of horse-power. It's only twenty-five miles to the

said Tri