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Rh "Oh, Mr. Amherst, I’m so glad! I was afraid I might not see you for goodbye.”

“For goodbye?” Amherst paused, embarrassed. How had she guessed that he did not mean to return to Lynbrook?

“You know,” she reminded him, “I’m going to some friends near Philadelphia for ten days”——and he remembered confusedly that a long time ago—probably yesterday morning—he had heard her speak of her projected visit.

“I had no idea,” she continued, “that you were coming up to town yesterday, or I should have tried to 'see you before you left. I wanted to ask you to send me a line if Bessy needs me—I’ll come back at once if she does. Amherst continued to listen blankly, as if making a painful effort to regain some consciousness of what was being said to him, and she went on: “She seemed so nervous and poorly yesterday evening that I was sorry I had decided to go”

Her intent gaze reminded him that the emotions of the last twenty-four hours must still be visible in his face; and the thought of what she might detect helped to restore his self-possession. “You must not think of giving up your visit,” he began hurriedly—he had meant to add “on account of Bessy,” but he found himself unable to utter his wife’s name.

Justine was still looking at him. “Oh, I’m sure [ 331 ]