She was prepared in her excitement for some sort of struggle. But the lady merely glared at her through her long-handled eye-glasses in disgust, and with a pinched smile and a contemptuous movement of the shoulders, walked majestically back toward the house.
The parlormaid, trying to look discreetly incurious, was standing by the gate, to open it for the visitor to go out. But the lady paused to enter into conversation with her; and Mabin was filled with indignation, believing, as she did, that the stranger’s motives were not above suspicion. And she caught the words which the maid uttered just before the cab drove away with the stranger:
“Very well, my lady.”
And then she heard Rudolph’s voice behind her.
“Well, have you had time to make up your mind?”
She started and turned quickly. He was surprised to see that all traces of tears had disappeared, and that her face was burning with excitement.
“Oh, yes, yes. I must tell you now! If I didn’t, I should have to go and confide in Mrs. Dale’s little dog!”
“Well, I promise to be quite as discreet.”
“That cab that you saw drive away had in it a woman who came here to see Mrs. Dale, and who told me that I ought to go away and not stay in the same house with her!”
“Well?”