“Dolt!”

Her eyes devoured his bag.

Coiled round and round like some sleek snake her future slumbered in it.

Husband; lovers ... little lives, perhaps—yet to be ... besides voyages, bouquets, diamonds, chocolates, duels, casinos...!

She shivered.

“Anything for me, Hodge, to-day,” she inquired, “by chance?”

“A fine morning, Miss.”

“Unusually.”

It had come....

That large mauve envelope, with the wild handwriting, and the haunting scent, was from her.