Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/525

Rh that in that space of time almost anything might have passed between them.

For a moment the power of connected thought left her; then her heart gave a bound of relief. She said to herself that Wyant had doubtless made some allusion to his situation, and that her husband, conscious only of a great debt of gratitude, had at once sat down to draw a cheque for him. The idea was so reassuring that it restored all her clearness of thought.

Wyant was the ﬁrst to see her. He made an abrupt movement, and Amherst, rising, turned and put an envelope in his hand.

“There, my dear fellow

As he turned he caught sight of his Wife.

“I caught the twelve o’clock train after all—you got my second wire?” he asked.

“No,” she faltered, pressing her left hand, with the little case in it, close to the folds of her dress.

“I was afraid not. There was a bad storm at Hanaford, and they said there might be a delay.”

At the same moment she found VVyant advancing with extended hand, and understood that he had concealed the fact of having already seen her. She accepted the cue, and shook his hand, murmuring: “How do you do?”

Amherst looked at her, perhaps struck by her manner.

“You have not seen Dr. Wyant since Lynbrook?” [ 509 ]