She went into the bed-room, and was absent for a few minutes, then reappeared.
"Do you know where my silver spoon is?" she asked, looking closely at him.
"Your silver spoon?" he returned, in surprise. "Have you lost it?"
The article in question, together with a fork, had been a wedding-present from Mrs. Sprowl, whose character had in it a sort of vulgar generosity, displayed at times in gifts to Harriet.
"I can't find it," Harriet said. "I was showing it to Ida Starr when she was here on Sunday, and now I come to look for it, it's gone."
"Oh, it can't be very far off," said Julian. "You'll find it if you look."
"But I tell you I've looked everywhere. It's gone, that's all I know."
"Well, but—what do you mean? How can it have gone?"
"I don't know. I only know I was showing it her on Sunday."
"And what connection is there between the two things?" asked Julian, almost sternly. "You don't wish me to understand that Ida Starr knows anything about the spoon?"