Page:Charlotte Teller - The Cage (1907).djvu/195

THE RETURN TO SUSPICION ing until she was better. At the time she had not guessed that it meant a serious break in his plans, for he was so quiet and matter-of-fact about it. Now that she had discovered his disappointment it was too late.

For six months he had been working in every way for the demonstration of an accepted idea on this first of May. He had spoken of the day as the first one of a new age, and had planned even the details of the demonstration itself. Frederica had almost forgotten the significance of the day, carried away as she was by her personal happiness. Now she was recalling it in the dusk, and in her self-accusation could find no words to give to him. She sat silent until the carriage stopped and she saw that they were at the Leland.

Everyone there turned about to look at them as they came in, for they were an unusual pair. Eugene's definite lines and fine, striking appearance, Frederica's elusiveness both in line and color, were very marked side by side. The clerk addressed her as Mrs. Harden, and she recognized him as the one she had seen that night she had come over from the West Side. The boy carried their bags to Harden's old suite. Just inside the door her heart almost stopped beating, so vivid was her remembrance of her former entrance. The room was the same, even to Eugene's personal belongings, but there were roses instead of chrysanthemums. In the adjoining bedroom were quantities of flowers, too; in there she breathed more freely because there were no associations.

Dinner was served for them in front of the fire. While the waiter was placing the dishes, and while Eugene was dressing in the other room, Erederica moved about the room looking at the photographs and books, asking a few questions, and taking the answers very seriously. Now 185