He wondered if she had stayed away purposely to test
him, and the thought gave him a thrill. If so, she would soon
learn that he was in earnest; she would find him waiting there
every afternoon and--after all, why confine himself to the
afternoon when she was just as likely to appear in the morning? He
resolved to go hunting earlier hereafter, and give the whole day
to it. Meanwhile, he would make cautious inquiries.
It was considerably after dark when he reached the hotel, and his
friends had dined; but he encountered Mr. Cortlandt later. If
Edith's husband suspected anything of what had occurred a night or
two ago, his countenance gave no sign of it. For some reason or
other, Kirk had not been troubled in the slightest by the thought
that Cortlandt might be told. He could not imagine Edith making
him the confidant of her outraged feelings. Besides, would such a
strangely impassive person resent any little indiscretion in which
his wife might choose to indulge? Kirk did not know--the man was a
puzzle to him.
Cortlandt's voice was thoroughly non-committal as he inquired:
"Where have you been keeping yourself?"
"I've been hunting, to kill time."
"Any luck?"
"No, none at all. I started too late, I guess."
"By-the-way," continued the other, "your friend Allan has been
besieging Edith, imploring her to use her influence to get him a
position.
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