Her suspicions were aroused. “Is that the reason,” she asked, “why you seek to hide it from me?”
“I would not,” he replied, “increase your anxiety. Can you bear a great shock?”
“Anything—anything,” she cried, “rather than this terrible torture of silence and mystery!”
“I wrote to America,” then said her friend, “to an agent, requesting him to ascertain how and where your husband was. An hour before you entered the room I received his answer. It is here. It will be best to hide nothing from you. I will read what my correspondent says.” He opened the letter, and read: “I have made inquiries after Mr. Holdfast, and am informed, upon undoubted authority, that he left America for England some weeks ago.”
Mrs. Holdfast’s friend read this extract without comment, but Mrs. Holdfast did not appear to realize the true import of the information.
“Do you not understand?” asked her friend. “Mr. Holdfast, some weeks ago, left America for England.”
“Impossible,” said the bewildered woman; “if he were here—in England—I should not be with you at this moment, asking you to assist me to find him.”
Her friend was silent.
“Help me!” she implored. “Do you think he is here?”
“I am certain that he has left America,” was the reply.