Part 17 (2/2)
”But,” his hand tightened its clasp, ”_you_ know more than she has told me.”
”No, Frank, nothing more.”
He lifted his pale face again.
”Constance--that letter.”
She started and flushed.
”What letter, Frank?”
”You know,” his eyes scanning her face hungrily. ”Her letter. The one I brought you two days ago. What was it?”
She drew away her hand.
”It was a note of farewell, Frank. Nothing more.”
”Then she told you?” he gasped,--caught his lips between his teeth, and waited for her to finish the sentence.
”She told me nothing, Frank. Oh, I wish she had.”
He sprang up, overturning his chair in his hasty excitement.
”Nothing!” he cried ”she told you _nothing_?”
”Absolutely nothing. The letter was an enigma. How strangely you act, Frank. I can't understand you.”
Slowly the life color returned to his cheeks and lips, as he answered, or stammered:
”Pardon me, Constance. I thought--I feared--I hoped there might be some explanation. I thought she must have given you some reason for so horrible a step. Are you sure there is no hint, no clue to help us?”
”Frank, listen: Sybil's note explained nothing. It only implored me not to think harshly of her, when I should know what she had done, and bade me farewell. I could not comprehend its meaning until the news reached me that she had fled.”
”And you can not guess why she did this thing?”
”No.”
He turned away, putting his hand up before his face, and uttering a groan. Then he moved toward one of the French windows, pushed it open, and leaned out.
”I feel as if I were going mad,” he muttered. ”Constance, pardon me; I must have the air. I must be alone to think, and to face this--this disgrace that has come upon us.”
And he stepped through the open window, and reeled rather than walked down the steps, and out among the trees.
Constance watched him until the shrubbery hid him from view, and then, with a quick, nervous glance about the room, and out at the windows, she went to the door which shut our tramp detective from view, but not from hearing.
”Come out,” she whispered, hurriedly. ”Now is your time to escape.”
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