After the song was finished, there was another call to the tables for the poker to begin again, but neither Pierrepont nor Meriaz joined them. Leith retained his seat at the piano for a time, then suddenly rose.
The game was progressing hilariously. No one seemed to observe the fact that he had left the piano. Meriaz was seated a trifle back of Carlita, watching her hand, and as she glanced up she saw Pierrepont look at him. There was a slight uplifting of the eyebrows and the faintest movement of the head toward the door, and then he turned and went out.
Five minutes afterward, Meriaz arose leisurely, and after walking about the room quietly, looking at statuary and dainty objects of virtu, he followed in the direction Leith had indicated.
Apparently Jessica had been oblivious of the by-play, but Carlita looked toward her imploringly.
"I wonder if you could excuse me for a very few minutes?" she questioned, her excitement making her voice low and strained.
"Why, certainly," answered Jessica, sweetly. "Is the heat of the room too much for you?"
"I—I don't know; but I will not be long absent. You can play without me?"
"Oh, yes!" answered Jessica, laughing. "Perhaps some of your luck will flow over to my side. My chips are getting pitifully low."
She did not even glance up as Carlita left the room; but there was a curious twitching at the corners of her mouth when she saw Carlita leave by the same door by which Leith and Meriaz had made their exit.
Carlita did not pause to think. She was keeping her oath to the dead. She did not remember that what she was about to do was dishonorable, unwomanly. She had sworn that she would put all consideration of self behind in this search for the murderer of her lover, and she was doing it.