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〃What is a hundred and fifty thousand pounds？〃 said she。
〃I wonder why you dressed yourself as you did last night？〃 said he。
The suddenness of the words did not cause her to quail as the guilty wife quailsyes； under a properly managed lime…light。 She did not even color。 But then； of course； she was not a guilty wife。
She lay back on her chair and laughed。
He watched hernot eagerly； but pleasantly； admiringly。
〃My dear Stephen； if you could understand why I dressed myself that way you would be able to give me a valuable hint as to where the connection lies between your mine and my toiletI need such a hint； now； I can assure you。〃
She was sitting up now looking at him with lovely laughing eyes。 （After all； she was no guilty wife。）
〃What； you can't see the connection？〃 he said slowly。 〃You can sew over your dress about fifty thousand pounds' worth of diamonds； and yet you don't see the connection between the wearing of that dress and the development of a gold mine by your husband？〃
〃I think I see it nowsomething of a connection。 But I don't want any more diamonds； I don't care if you take all that are sewed about the dress and throw them into the river。 That's how I feel this morning。〃
〃I heard some time ago of a woman who had something of your mood upon her one day。 She had some excellent diamonds； and in one of her moods； she flung them into the river。 She was a wife and she had a lover who disappointed her。 The story reads very smoothly in verse。〃
She laughed。
〃I have no lover；〃 she saidwas it mournfully？ 〃I have a husband； it is true； but he is not exactly of the type of King Arthurnor Sir Galahad； for that matter。 I hope you found Paris as enjoyable as ever？〃
〃Quite。 I never saw at Paris a more enrapturing toilet than yours of last night。 You are； I know； the handsomest woman of my acquaintance； and you looked handsomer than I had ever before seen you in that costume。 I wonder why you put it on。〃
〃Didn't someonewas it Phyllis？suggest that it was an act of inspiration； that I had a secret； mysterious prompting to put it on to achieve the object whichwell； which I did achieve。〃
〃Object？ What object？〃
〃To make my husband fall in love with me again。〃
〃Ah！ In love there is no again。 I wonder where a telegram would find Herbert。〃
〃Don't worry yourself about him。 Let him enjoy his holiday。〃
〃Do you fancy he is enjoying himself with Earlscourt and his boon companions？ They'll be playing poker from morning till night certainly from night till morning。〃
〃Why should he go on the cruise if he was not certain to enjoy himself？〃
〃Ah； that question is too much for me。 Think over it yourself and let me know if you come to a solution； my dear。〃
He rose and left the room before she could make any answerbefore she could make an attempt to find out in what direction his thoughts regarding the departure of Herbert Courtland were moving。
She wondered if he had any suspicion in regard to Herbert and herself。 He was not a man given to suspicion； or at any rate； given to allowing whatever suspicion he may have felt； to be apparent。 He had allowed her to drive and to ride with Herbert Courtland during the four months they had been together； first at Egypt； then at Florence； Vienna； Munich； and Paris； and he could not have but seen that Herbert and she had a good many sympathies in common。 Not a word had been breathed； however； of a suspicion that they were more than good friends to each other。
（As a matter of fact； they had not been more than good friends to each other； but then some husbands are given to unworthy suspicions。）
Could it be possible； she asked herself； that some people with nasty minds had suggested to him in Paris that she and Herbert were together a great deal in London； and that he had been led to make this sudden visit； this surprise visit to London； with a view of satisfying himself as to the truth of the nasty reportsthe disgraceful calumnies which had reached his ears？
If he had done so； all that could be said was that he had been singularly unfortunate in regard to his visit。 〃Unfortunate〃 was the word which was in her mind； though； of course /〃fortunate〃/ was the word which should have occurred to her。 It was certainly a fortunate result of his visitthat tableau in the drawing room of Mr。 Ayrton： Ella and her dearest friend standing side by side； hand in hand； as he entered。 A surprise visit； it may have been； but assuredly the surprise was a pleasant one for the husband； if he had listened to the voice of calumny。
And then； after pondering upon this with a smiling face； her smile suddenly vanished。 She was overwhelmed with the thought of what might have been the result of that surprise visityes； if she had not had the strength to run away to the side of Phyllis； yes； if Herbert had not had the weakness to join that party of poker…players aboard the yacht。
She began to wonder what her husband would have done if he had entered the house by the aid of his latch…key； and had found her sitting in that lovely costume by the side of Herbert Courtland？ Would he have thought her a guilty woman？ Would he have thought Herbert a false friend？ Would he have killed her； or would he have killed Herbert？ Herbert would； she thought； take a good deal of killing from a man of the caliber of her husband； but what could she have done？
Well； what she did； as the force of that thought crushed her back upon her chair； was to bring her hands together in a passionate clasp； and to cry in a passionate gasp：
〃Thank Godthank Godthank God！〃
She dined alone with her husband that night； and thought it well to appear in another evening toiletone that was quite as lovely； though scarcely so striking； as that which her husband had so admired the previous night。 He clearly appreciated her efforts to maintain her loveliness in his eyes； and their little dinner was a very pleasant one。
He told her that he had learned that the yacht /Water Nymph/ would put in to Leith before crossing the North Sea； and that he had written to Herbert Courtland at that port to return without delay。
〃You did wrong；〃 said she； and she felt that she was speaking the truth。
〃I don't think so；〃 he replied。 〃At any rate； you may rest perfectly certain that Herbert will receive my letter with gratitude。〃
And Mr。 Linton's judgment on this point was not in error。 Herbert Courtland received； on the evening of the third day after leaving Southampton； the letter which called him back to London； and he contrived to conceal whatever emotion he may have felt at the prospect of parting from his shipmates。 They accompanied him ashore； however they had worn out six packs of cards already； and were about to buy another dozen or two； to see them safely through the imposing scenery of the Hardanger Fjord。
The next day he was in London； and it was on the evening of that same day that he came face to face with the Rev。 George Holland outside Miss Ayrton's drawing room。
CHAPTER XXV。
LIES！ LIES！ LIES！
〃You should have come a little sooner；〃 said Phyllis quite pleasantly。 〃Mr。 Courtland was giving me such an amusing account of his latest voyage。 Will you have tea or iced coffee？〃
〃Tea； if yo