, free within and without from any evidence of the unusual. A waning moon glowed large and distorted through the shrubbery, and from all about rose the sweet breath and innumerable tiny vo

the huge normality of the outer world. With every step it grew more difficult for me to believe in the turmoil from which I had come; the strain and secrecy, the troubled voices and the moving lights became f

a glance at my watch deepened my surprise into astonishment. It was not yet midnight, and I had felt that it was at least two or three in the morning. So here was ano

further presence unbearable; but what of the anxious bustle, the hasty conferences, the errands of the man we had met at the gate? And who was he, by the way, that he should have a latch-key and the airs of intimacy, without being, from what I had observed, an inmate of the house? The fear of infectious disease was the only thing that I could imagine that would explain the immediacy of my expulsion. But if I was the bearer of a plague, why had Lady been allowed to talk with me in the hall? Or if one of themselves had been stricken, why had she denied me for all time, or indeed made any mystery of the matter? Then I remembered h

have a perfect right to the reason. When you have it, I think you will agree that you have no m

d, choleric, aquiline, a man to be a fierce friend o

n. You force yourself into her company, presuming upon a very slight acquaintance, and follow her home. You come upon us in such a way that we can hardly avoid receiving yo

haven't forced myself upon anybody. Besides, we

drawing his whit

n of the accident. "Go on," I said,

d that you bring her home at an unreasonable hour, after wandering or loitering about the country. In any case this would have been officious and inconsidera

hing whatever to be ashamed of, and this is the first time in my life I've been accused of any su

out you, Mr. Crosby, than you were prepared for,"

cidedly more than one gentleman can say to another without explaining himself.

ol to make my words carry conviction. Mr. Tabor sat unmoved whil

ve to continue your acquaintance. I came here to tell you why our invitation to

hat isn't all. It

e understood the facts, you would not, under ordinary circumstances, have left until this morning. But Mrs. Tabor was so much excited over t

's a damned lie. Now, I'll wait here while you make any inquiries you like. I'll put you in communication with anybody y

present information. I have no further curiosity. And

the night, and told not to ask why. You explain it on the absurd ground that I'm a disreputable character, and then you won't either specify your charges

sedly to pick up his hat and stick. He f

e faintest suspicion of a smile, "it isn't any real use. Well, I won't offer to shake han

too angry to think of it. "After you,"

ng in a tangle of English and Italian so rapid and furious that by the ear alone I should have thought half a dozen people were involved. It had the multiplied brilliancy of a virtuoso's piano playing. Of the dispute which followed, the words were indistinguishable; but there was no question that each was threatening the other. The Italian danced and raved and gesticulated, while Mr. Tabor pointed a steady forefinger and retorted in low and frosty monosyllables. An

effect. His muddy blur of intonations was impossible to follow; and I tried him in Italian, becoming thereby a person of authority and interest. He understood me readily enough, but his own spattering patois gave me a good deal of trouble. By what I could make out, he was a sailor, formerly on ships owned by Mr. Tabor; and Mr. Tabor had discharged him and had kidnapped his wife. This sounded puzzling