When the two had had their talk out and parted, tear-stained but reconciled, Joan went once more to the telephone and called up her husband.
His familiar voice over the wire gave her an unexpected thrill. She had forgotten how big and warm it was, even when he sang out of tune.
"Archie," she asked directly, "why weren't you at the station to meet me?"
He stammered out some rather breathless excuse.
"Yes, I know all about that—Emily told me that she often gets you to exercise Pegasus for her when she hasn't time. But why to-day particularly, when you knew I was coming?"
His voice was under better control now. "Why, you see, I didn't think it would look well for us to be seen together just now—"
"Wouldn't look well!"
"Why, no, Joan. You've got a pretty good case of abandonment—I left the house first, you know—but if we were to be seen together the minute you get home, sort of friendly-like, it might get to the ears of the Judge and prejudice him. When the whole thing's settled, of course, then—"
Joan gasped.
"What do you mean," she interrupted, "by a case of abandonment?"