Eleanor was not to be seen when a young man came in the room and was joyously welcomed by everyone present. Tom Latimer had disappeared also, a short time before this, and Polly was sitting in the wide seat built in the window, staring out over the roofs of the buildings without seeing a thing.
The delighted exclamations from those in the room, however, drew her attention, and she was rejoiced to see Paul Stewart shaking hands with those crowding about him. So Polly left her shadowy retreat and ran over to welcome him, too.
Paul was saying: “Isn’t it too jolly of John to send me East for the Holidays, by making me power-of-attorney for the Stock-holders meeting the first of January. That was the only way I could have come—by having my fare paid!” Paul laughed because they all knew of his financial problems, and how he was striving to win success that he might propose to Eleanor.
Polly felt annoyed because she was sure Eleanor had led Tom to the den that she might advise him further in his love-affairs. And it was this interference by Eleanor, that roused much of Polly’s indifference or impatience towards Tom. Now she felt she had been given a good opportunity to square accounts with her chum.
Paul and she were standing alone for a moment, when she saw him looking about for someone. She gave the desired cue: “You’ll find Nolla with Tom, enjoying a tête-à-tête in Mr. Dalken’s little den across the hallway, Paul.”
As she watched Paul hurriedly excuse himself, she experienced a new sensation—that of gratified revenge on a friend. She walked about the room, apparently looking at the pictures, but really to reach the hall without attracting attention. Once she got out of the room, she made a dash for a shadowy corner made by an old ormolu secretaire between the two doors. She could see into the den and watch Paul’s next action.
Two huge Turkish chairs were drawn up before the fire-place but the electric lights were out and only the candles on the tables near the door were lighted. The leaping flames of the logs burning in the fire-place threw dancing shadows over the two occupants of the chairs, but anyone standing near the door could not see who these occupants were.
Paul crept stealthily over to the chairs, planning to surprise his two old friends—believing Tom to be one, and Eleanor the other. He lifted his hands with the intention of clapping them over Eleanor’s eyes to make her guess who was there, when he heard words that rooted him to the spot. Polly saw but could not hear, so she lost the best part of her retaliation on Eleanor.
Just as Paul was about to bring down his palms over Eleanor’s eyes, a strange voice murmured intensely: “You know how I feel about it, Nolla. This love is so absorbing that I cannot give my attention to studies, or to any other important matter. If I am treated to second place, now that another lover is at hand, I will clear out of New York and never be heard from again. In fact, I am going to purposely throw myself in the way of danger and end it all!”
Paul realized that another man had found his treasure and had been encouraged, or why should he be saying “given second-place now that another lover is at hand?” And it was evident that someone knew of his, Paul’s, proposed visit, as this young man knew of his coming to see Eleanor.