"That is a little late. But—"
At this moment Charmian saw Claude coming into the stalls by the left entrance near the stage.
"Oh, there's Claude!" she exclaimed, interrupting Mrs. Shiffney, and evidently not knowing that she did so. "Au revoir! Thank you so much!"
She was gone.
"Thank me so much!" said Mrs. Shiffney to Jonson Ramer. "What for? Do you know, Jonson?"
"Seems to me that little woman's unfashionable—mad about her own husband!" said Jonson Ramer.
The curtain went up on the second act.
Claude had sat down in the stalls. In a moment Charmian slipped into a seat at his side and touched his hand.
"Claude, where have you been?"
Her long fingers closed on his hand.