“It’s a fact,” said Van Cortlandt. “It seems that last Thursday Frank Evanston came home unexpectedly, and found Ned there. Exactly what happened no one knows, but the story is that the gardener and a footman threw Neddie out of the house and into the fountain.” Mr. Carteret threw away his cigarette, and straightened himself in his chair.
“And they say,” observed Crowninshield, “that his last words were, ‘Come on in, Frank; the water’s fine.’” There was a general laugh in which Mr. Carteret did not join.
“Is that all?” he asked.
“That’s the cream of it,” replied Van Cortlandt. “The rest is purely conventional—separation and divorce proceedings.”
“That’s an interesting story,” said Mr. Carteret, calmly, “but untrue.”
“How do you know?” said Shaw.
“Because,” he answered, “on Thursday, Ned Palfrey was at my house in the country.”
“Dates are immaterial,” said Crowninshield. “Very likely it was Wednesday or Friday.”
“I say,” said Van Cortlandt, “I’ll bet you even, Crowny, it was Friday as against Wednesday.”
“I’ll take that,” said Crowninshield; “but how shall we settle it?”