“The man is certainly insane, or—�
“Infatuated with some other woman,� interrupted Alice as Mark hesitated.
“I will never believe that,� said Elinor pathetically. “I shall write to him. Yes, I must write to him. This seems so unreal, I am constantly feeling as though I should awaken and find it but a painful dream.�
“Yes, write to him by all means, and learn, if possible, the cause of this change of heart.�
“I’ve been wondering where I should address him. You know his partner wired me that he had started for New York. You don’t think he could have gone through east, already?�
“I will go to town to-day and telegraph Johnson,� Mark responded.
He did so, and received this reply:
“Wylie left San Francisco for New York, the eighth instant, in company with his wife.�
“‘Oh, my prophetic soul!’� quoted Alice, when she heard it, and Tibby nodded assent.
“I know it is that woman of the boat. My instincts did not deceive me,� she said.