Clayton did not care to tell Natalie of Chris's flight. She would learn

it soon enough, he knew, and he felt unwilling to discuss the affair as

Natalie would want to discuss it. Not that he cared about Chris, but he

had begun to feel a protective interest in Audrey Valentine, an interest

that had in it a curious aversion to hearing her name in connection with

Chris's sordid story.

He and Natalie met rarely in the next few days. He dined frequently at

his club with men connected in various ways with the new enterprise, and

transacted an enormous amount of business over the dinner or luncheon

table. Natalie's door was always closed on those occasions when he

returned, and he felt that with the stubbornness characteristic of her

she was still harboring resentment against him for what he had said at

the hospital.

He knew she was spending most of her days at Linndale, and he had a

vague idea that she and Rodney together had been elaborating still

further on the plans for the house. It was the furtiveness of it rather

than the fact itself that troubled him. He was open and straightforward

himself. Why couldn't Natalie be frank with him?

It was Mrs. Haverford, punctually paying her dinner-call in an age which

exacts dinner-calls no longer--even from its bachelors--who brought

Natalie the news of Chris's going. Natalie, who went down to see her

with a mental protest, found her at a drawing-room window, making

violent signals at somebody without, and was unable to conceal her

amazement.

"It's Delight," explained Mrs. Haverford. "She's driving me round. She

won't come in, and she's forgotten her fur coat. And it's simply bitter

outside. Well, my dear, how are you?"

Natalie was well, and said so. She was conscious that Mrs. Haverford

was listening with only half an ear, and indeed, a moment later she had

risen again and hurried to the window.

"Natalie!" she cried. "Do come and watch. She's turning the car. We do

think she drives wonderfully. Only a few days, too."

"Why won't she come in?"

"I'm sure I don't know. Unless she is afraid Graham may be here."

"What in the world has Graham got to do with it?" Natalie's voice was

faintly scornful.

"I was going to ask you that, Natalie. Have they quarreled, or

anything?"

"I don't think they meet at all, do they?"

"They met once since Clayton gave Doctor Haverford the car. Graham

helped her when she had got into a ditch, I believe. And I thought

perhaps they had quarreled about something."




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