They stood facing each other for some minutes, inevit-
ably inarticulate. Outside, the dreary wagonette waited
with the maid, in the rain. Gladys went and closed the
door. At last, the sheer impossibility of all prelimin-
aries driving her to desperation—

" Much money," she said.
He stared at her.
346



A BIT OF TO-DAY

" Money mine," she continued, and in spite of herself
she blushed crimson.
When she Ufted her eyes to his face she saw he had
not understood !

A few drops of spite gathered in her lovely blue eyes ;
then she knitted her brows and pondered.
Presently she drew a silver florin from her purse and
laid it on the table ; he watched her. She put her finger
on the coin and then rapidly waved her arms in a circle.
He understood — ^he understood — much money !

She pointed her finger to her breast.
He took off his cap. Thank Heaven ! he had under-
stood.
He stood bowing before her. Yes, certainly he had
understood.
She turned to the window and sat down deUberately,
with her back to him, feeling that, in the first place, she
must resolutely collect her thoughts.
Her husband had, of course, lied to her from the first
about his relations. She could feel annoyed but not
angry with him for that ; she would have done it herself.
The most natmral thing now looked to leave the house
immediately and go back again. Where ? To what ?
Penniless. To New York. The wealthy widow van
Dobben. Back to father and mother. One idea had
dominated her, as she now wondered, from the moment
of the reading of Peter's will.
