“Forwarded from Lammis,” she said.
“It reached me before the doctor’s cable.”
So it was Kitty—Kitty Tynan-who had brought
his wife to this new home from which he had been trying
so hard to get back to the old home. Kitty, the
angel of the house.
“You wrote me a letter which drove me from home,”
he said heavily.
“No—no—no,” she
protested. “It was not that. I know
it was not that. It was my money—it
was that which drove you away. You have just
said so.”
“You wrote me a hateful letter,” he persisted.
“You didn’t want to see me. You
sent it to me by your sweet, young brother.”
Her eyes flashed. “My letter did not drive
you away. It couldn’t have. You went
because you did not love me. It was that and
my money, not the letter, not the letter.”
Somehow she had a curious feeling that the very letter
which contained her bitter and hateful reproaches
might save her yet. The fact that he had not
opened it—well, she must see Kitty again.
Her husband was in a dark mood. She must wait.
She knew that her fortunate moment had passed when
the rogue Burlingame appeared. She must wait
for another.
“Shall I go now? You want to see that
man outside. Shall I go, Shiel?” She was
very pale, very quiet, steady and gentle.
“I must hear what that fellow has to say.
It is business—important,” he replied.
“It may mean anything—everything,
or nothing.”
As she left the room he had an impulse to call her
back, but he conquered it.
“’Twas for your pleasure
you came here, you shall go
back for mine”
For a moment Crozier stood looking at the closed doorway
through which Mona had gone, with a look of repentant
affection in his eyes; but as the thought of his own
helpless insolvency and broken hopes flashed across
his mind, a look of dark and harassed reflection shadowed
his face. He turned to the front doorway with
a savage gesture. The mutilated dignity of his
manhood, the broken pride of a lifetime, the bitterness
in his heart need not be held in check in dealing
with the man who waited to give him a last thrust
of enmity.
He left the house. Burlingame was seated on
the stump of a tree which had been made into a seat.
“Come to my room if you have business with
me,” Crozier said sharply.
As they went, Crozier swung aside from the front door
towards the corner of the house.
“The back way?” asked Burlingame with
a sneer.
“The old familiar way to you,” was the
smarting reply. “In any case, you are
not welcome in Mrs. Tynan’s part of the house.
My room is my own, however, and I should prefer you
within four walls while doing business with you.”
