"Chris!" she breathed, all the tension and doubt dropping from her like a garment at the sound of his quiet tones. "Chris—this is Norma!"
A pause. Her soul died within her.
"What is it?" Chris asked presently, in a repressed voice.
"Well—but were you playing cards?"
"No."
"You've had your dinner, Chris?"
"No. Yes, I had dinner, of course. I dined with Aunt Marianna—no, that was lunch! I dined here."
"Chris," Norma faltered, speaking quickly as her courage ebbed, "I didn't want to interrupt you, but you seemed so—so different, this afternoon. And I didn't want to have you cross at me; and I wondered—I've been wondering ever since—if I have done something that made you angry—that was stupid and—and——"
She stopped. The forbidding silence on his part was like a wall that crossed her path, was like a veil that blinded and choked her.
"Not at all," he said, quickly. "Where did you get that idea?... Hello—hello—are you there, Norma?" he added, when on her part in turn there was a blank silence.