The elegant and luxurious “tea” was as abundant and varied as any dinner need be, and much more dainty than any dinner can be. It was not a full dress party, nor a ceremonious occasion; so both before and after tea there was some card playing and much gossip.
Mr. Stuart and Mr. Duncan, with Miss Christiansen and Mrs. Murphy, sat down to a rubber of whist. Mrs. Walling, Mrs. Duncan, Mrs. Stuart and Mr. Hay sat near each other in a group and gossiped with all their might and main.
Mrs. Duncan was the principal talker; and after telling many a spicy but harmless bit of news, she took up the story of her protégée, Jennie Montgomery, and soon interested all her hearers in it. The facts were new to them all except to herself and Mrs. Murphy.
“What puzzled me about the young thing was this: That while she had lost every particle of respect and affection for her would-be murderer, she persisted in shielding him from justice. Now, I can understand a woman shielding a criminal whom she has loved, and still loves; but I cannot understand her protecting an assassin who has aimed at her life, and whom she fears and abhors!”
Then Palma’s eyes began to sparkle. She had her little story to tell, too. And she wanted to tell it.
“Do you know,” she said, as soon as she could slip into the busy conversation—“do you know that my husband was arrested by mistake for Capt. Kightly Montgomery, and held for a murderous assault, until he could prove his identity by competent witnesses?”
The ladies, startled by this information, made little, low exclamations of surprise.
“Your husband was one of the witnesses, Mrs. Walling,” continued Palma, pleased with herself that she could contribute some little item of interest to the conversation.
“Oh, yes! I think I remember hearing something about some one being arrested by mistake, charged with something or other, and Mr. Walling being called as a witness to prove the accused to be some other than the man wanted; but, really, now, there are so many sensational items in the daily papers that one shoves the other from the memory. So it was Mr. Cleve Stuart, was it? Pleasant for him,” said Mrs. Walling.
“And it was really your husband, Mrs. Stuart, who was taken to the woman’s ward of the hospital to be identified by Jennie Montgomery! I heard all about it at the time, but I had forgotten the name of the gentleman who had been arrested by mistake,” said Mrs. Duncan, taking a good look at Stuart, who was in a fine light for the view, seated at the card table immediately under a chandelier. “And there certainly is a very striking likeness between him and the miniature of the young woman’s murderous husband,” she concluded.