Part 9 (2/2)
”I know less than you do. I'm only going by what Colonel Hankin says.”
”Colonel Hankin?”
”Mrs. Hankin, I should say; of course I couldn't speak about Mrs.
Tailleur to _him_.”
”Has he ever met her?”
”Met her? In society? My dear!--he has never met her anywhere.”
”Then would he--would he really know?”
”It isn't only the Colonel. All the men in the hotel say the same thing.
You can see how they stare at her.”
”Oh, those men!”
”You may depend upon it, they know more than we do.”
”How can they? How--how do they tell?”
”I suppose they see something.”
Miss Keating saw it, too. She shuddered involuntarily. Her knees shook under her. She sat down.
”I'm sure I don't know what it is,” said the old lady.
”Nor I,” said Miss Keating faintly.
”They say you've only got to look at her----”
A dull flush spread over Miss Keating's face. She was breathing hard.
Her mouth opened to speak; a thick sigh came through it, but no words.
”I've looked,” said the old lady, ”and I can't see anything about her different from other people. She dresses so quietly; but I'm told they often do. They're very careful that we shouldn't know them.”
”They? Oh, you don't mean that Mrs. Tailleur--is----”
”I'm only going by what I'm told. Mind you, I get it all from Mrs.
Hankin.”
Miss Keating, who had been leaning forward, sat suddenly bolt upright.
Her whole body was shaking now. Her voice was low but violent.
<script>