They sat for some minutes without speaking; then Miriam exclaimed angrily:
"What right had she to go abroad alone?"
"For anything we know, Miriam, she may have had only too good a reason."
"Then I don't see that it matters."
Eleanor sighed, and, after a little lingering, but without further speech, went from the room.
In the meantime, Spence had entered the house. Eleanor met him in the drawing-room, and held the paper to him, with a silent indication of the paragraph. He read, and with an exclamation of violent disgust threw the thing aside. His philosophy failed him for once.
"What a blackguardly affair! Does Miriam know?"
"I have just shown it her. Evidently she had a suspicion of what was going on."
Spence muttered a little; then regained something of his usual equanimity.
"Our conjectures may be right," he said. "Perhaps no revelation awaits her."