plain of a noise behind him。 The window was
unhasped。 He signed to Rodney； who crossed the room
immediately to put the matter right。 He stayed a moment
longer by the window than was； perhaps； necessary； and
having done what was needed； drew his chair a little
closer than before to Katharine’s side。 The music went
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on。 Under cover of some exquisite run of melody； he leant
towards her and whispered something。 She glanced at
her father and mother； and a moment later left the room；
almost unobserved； with Rodney。
“What is it？” she asked； as soon as the door was shut。
Rodney made no answer； but led her downstairs into
the diningroom on the ground floor。 Even when he had
shut the door he said nothing； but went straight to the
window and parted the curtains。 He beckoned to Katharine。
“There he is again；” he said。 “Look； there—under the
lamppost。”
Katharine looked。 She had no idea what Rodney was
talking about。 A vague feeling of alarm and mystery possessed
her。 She saw a man standing on the opposite side
of the road facing the house beneath a lamppost。 As
they looked the figure turned； walked a few steps； and
came back again to his old position。 It seemed to her
that he was looking fixedly at her； and was conscious of
her gaze on him。 She knew； in a flash； who the man was
who was watching them。 She drew the curtain abruptly。
“Denham；” said Rodney。 “He was there last night too。”
He spoke sternly。 His whole manner had bee full of
authority。 Katharine felt almost as if he accused her of
some crime。 She was pale and unfortably agitated； as
much by the strangeness of Rodney’s behavior as by the
sight of Ralph Denham。
“If he chooses to e—” she said defiantly。
“You can’t let him wait out there。 I shall tell him to e
in。” Rodney spoke with such decision that when he raised
his arm Katharine expected him to draw the curtain instantly。
She caught his hand with a little exclamation。
“Wait！” she cried。 “I don’t allow you。”
“You can’t wait；” he replied。 “You’ve gone too far。” His
hand remained upon the curtain。 “Why don’t you admit；
Katharine；” he broke out； looking at her with an expression
of contempt as well as of anger； “that you love him？
Are you going to treat him as you treated me？”
She looked at him； wondering； in spite of all her perplexity；
at the spirit that possessed him。
“I forbid you to draw the curtain；” she said。
He reflected； and then took his hand away。
“I’ve no right to interfere；” he concluded。 “I’ll leave
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you。 Or； if you like； we’ll go back to the drawingroom。”
“No。 I can’t go back；” she said； shaking her head。 She
bent her head in thought。
“You love him； Katharine；” Rodney said suddenly。 His
tone had lost something of its sternness； and might have
been used to urge a child to confess its fault。 She raised
her eyes and fixed them upon him。
“I love him？” she repeated。 He nodded。 She searched
his face； as if for further confirmation of his words； and；
as he remained silent and expectant； turned away once
more and continued her thoughts。 He observed her closely；
but without stirring； as if he gave her time to make up
her mind to fulfil her obvious duty。 The strains of Mozart
reached them from the room above。
“Now；” she said suddenly； with a sort of desperation；
rising from her chair and seeming to mand Rodney to
fulfil his part。 He drew the curtain instantly； and she
made no attempt to stop him。 Their eyes at once sought
the same spot beneath the lamppost。
“He’s not there！” she exclaimed。
No one was there。 William threw the window up and looked
out。 The wind rushed into the room； together with the
sound of distant wheels； footsteps hurrying along the pavement；
and the cries of sirens hooting down the river。
“Denham！” William cried。
“Ralph！” said Katharine； but she spoke scarcely louder
than she might have spoken to some one in the same
room。 With their eyes fixed upon the opposite side of the
road； they did not notice a figure close to the railing
which divided the garden from the street。 But Denham
had crossed the road and was standing there。 They were
startled by his voice close at hand。
“Rodney！”
“There you are！ e in； Denham。” Rodney went to the
front door and opened it。 “Here he is；” he said； bringing
Ralph with him into the diningroom where Katharine
stood； with her back to the open window。 Their eyes met
for a second。 Denham looked half dazed by the strong
light； and； buttoned in his overcoat； with his hair ruffled
across his forehead by the wind； he seemed like somebody
rescued from an open boat out at sea。 William
promptly shut the window and drew the curtains。 He acted
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with a cheerful decision as if he were master of the situation；
and knew exactly what he meant to do。
“You’re the first to hear the news； Denham；” he said。
“Katharine isn’t going to marry me； after all。”
“Where shall I put—” Ralph began vaguely； holding
out his hat and glancing about him； he balanced it carefully
against a silver bowl that stood upon the sideboard。
He then sat himself down rather heavily at the head of
the oval dinnertable。 Rodney stood on one side of him
and Katharine on the other。 He appeared to be presiding
over some meeting from which most of the members were
absent。 Meanwhile； he waited； and his eyes rested upon
the glow of the beautifully polished mahogany table。
“William is engaged to Cassandra；” said Katharine briefly。
At that Denham looked up quickly at Rodney。 Rodney’s
expression changed。 He lost his selfpossession。 He smiled
a little nervously； and then his attention seemed to be
caught by a fragment of melody from the floor above。 He
seemed for a moment to forget the presence of the others。
He glanced towards the door。
“I congratulate you；” said Denham。
“Yes； yes。 We’re all mad—quite out of our minds；
Denham；” he said。 “It’s partly Katharine’s doing—partly
mine。” He looked oddly round the room as if he wished to
make sure that the scene in which he played a part had
some real existence。 “Quite mad；” he repeated。 “Even
Katharine—” His gaze rested upon her finally； as if she；
too； had changed from his old view of her。 He smiled at
her as if to encourage her。 “Katharine shall explain；” he
said； and giving a little nod to Denham； he left the room。
Katharine sat down at once； and leant her chin upon
her hands。 So long as Rodney was in the room the proceedings
of the evening had seemed to be in his charge；
and had been marked by a certain unreality。 Now that
she was alone with Ralph she felt at once that a constraint
had been taken from them both。 She felt that
they were alone at the bottom of the house； which rose；
story upon story； upon the top of them。
“Why were you waiting out there？” she asked。
“For the chance of seeing you；” he replied。
“You would have waited all night if it hadn’t been for
William。 It’s w