Part 46 (1/2)

As he did so, Elaine hastily turned and took a few steps after him, as if to recall her words, then stopped, and her pride got the better of her.

She walked slowly back to the chair by the table--the chair he had been sitting in--sank down into it and cried.

Kennedy was moping in the laboratory the next day when I came in.

Just what the trouble was, I did not know, but I had decided that it was up to me to try to cheer him up.

”Say, Craig,” I began, trying to overcome his fit of blues.

Kennedy, filled with his own thoughts, paid no attention to me. Still, I kept on.

Finally he got up and, before I knew it, he took me by the ear and marched me into the next room.

I saw that what he needed chiefly was to be let alone, and he went back to his chair, dropping down into it and banging his fists on the table.

Under his breath he loosed a small volley of bitter expletives. Then he jumped up.

”By George--I WILL,” he muttered.

I poked my head out of the door in time to see him grab up his hat and coat and dash from the room, putting his coat on as he went.

”He's a nut today,” I exclaimed to myself.

Though I did not know, yet, of the quarrel, Kennedy had really struggled with himself until he was willing to put his pride in his pocket and had made up his mind to call on Elaine again.

As he entered, he saw that it was really of no use, for only Aunt Josephine was in the library.

”Oh, Mr. Kennedy,” she said innocently enough, ”I'm so sorry she isn't here. There's been something troubling her and she won't tell me what it is. But she's gone to call on a young woman, a Florence Leigh, I think.”

”Florence Leigh!” exclaimed Craig with a start and a frown. ”Let me use your telephone.”

I had turned my attention in the laboratory to a story I was writing, when I heard the telephone ring. It was Craig. Without a word of apology for his rudeness, which I knew had been purely absent-minded, I heard him saying, ”Walter--meet me in half an hour outside that Florence Leigh's house.”

He was gone in a minute, giving me scarcely time to call back that I would.

Then, with a hasty apology for his abruptness, he excused himself, leaving Aunt Josephine wondering at his strange actions.

At about the same time that Craig had left the laboratory, at the Dodge house Elaine and Aunt Josephine had been in the hall near the library.

Elaine was in her street dress.

”I'm going out, Auntie,” she said with an attempted gaiety. ”And,” she added, ”if anyone should ask for me, I'll be there.”

She had showed her a card on which was engraved, the name and address of Florence Leigh.

”All right, dear,” answered Aunt Josephine, not quite clear in her mind what subtle change there was in Elaine.

Half an hour later I was waiting near the house in the suburbs to which I had been directed by the strange telephone call the day before. I noticed that it was apparently deserted. The blinds were closed and a ”To Let” sign was on the side of the house.

”h.e.l.lo, Walter,” cried Craig at last, bustling along. He stopped a moment to look at the house. Then, together, we went up the steps and we rang the bell, gazing about.