"Of course he doesn't know!" cried Fleda indignantly. Fleda felt the full need of giving a reason for her departure; but at first she only said with cheerful frankness: "I departed."!

"I'm glad you didn't do that." Fleda's surprise at this aberration left her a moment looking at him. "Do you mean your marriage is off?"

Her companion again looked at her in silence. "I thought you had gone to her for several months." "He has done it," said Mrs. Gereth, turning her eyes avoidingly but not unperceivingly about her and in spite of herself dropping an opinion upon the few objects in the room. Fleda, on her side, in her silence, observed how characteristically she looked at Maggie's possessions before looking at Maggie's sister. The girl understood and at first had nothing to say; she was still dumb while Mrs. Gereth selected, with hesitation, a seat less distasteful than the one that happened to be nearest. On the sofa near the window the poor woman finally showed what the two past days had done for the age of her face. Her eyes at last met Fleda's. "It's the end." "And what had she got?"