For a while Pendleton watched the smoke circle from his cigarette and was silent. Then he dropped the cigarette into the ash tray, slowly drew out another and lit it.
"She has money and caste—and she used to have plenty of friends," Burgoyne added.
"She hasn't as many friends as she once had," said Pendleton, slowly; "though what she has are powerful. Lorraine's and Mrs. Amherst's friends will be against her—and the fact that she ran away with such a fellow as Amherst will be more against her than anything else. If she had chosen a popular young chap, instead of a middle-aged rouè-on-the-quiet, Society would be more ready with forgiveness."
Just then Devereux rounded the corner, with a paper in his hand, and hurried over.
"Have you seen the Evening Telegraph?" he asked. "No?—Well, Amherst has come back!"
"Back—to America?" asked Burgoyne.
"Back to this town—and gone again—with Mrs. Amherst and the children—to Europe! What do you think of that?"
Burgoyne gave a soft whistle of astonishment. Pendleton shrugged his shoulders a trifle and smiled grimly.
"You're not properly appreciative of news," declared Devereux. "Why don't you say something?"
"You don't appreciate news yourself," Burgoyne answered. "We are simply dumb with amazement."