第10部分(第4/7 頁)

onvulsively　at　Katherine's　hand。

〃You　must　think　I　am　mad　talking　to　you　like　this；　but　I　tell　you　I　know　something　horrible　is　going　to　happen。〃

〃Don't　think　it；〃　said　Katherine；　〃try　to　pull　yourself　together。　You　could　send　your　father　a　wire　from　Paris；　if　you　like；　and　he　would　e　to　you　at　once。〃

The　other　brightened。

〃Yes；　I　could　do　that。　Dear　old　Dad。　It　is　queer　…　but　I　never　knew　until　today　how　terribly　fond　of　him　I　am。〃　She　sat　up　and　dried　her　eyes　with　a　handkerchief。　〃I　have　been　very　foolish。　Thank　you　so　much　for　letting　me　talk　to　you。　I　don't　know　why　I　got　into　such　a　queer；　hysterical　state。〃

She　got　up。　〃I　am　quite　all　right　now。　I　suppose；　really；　I　just　needed　someone　to　talk　to。　I　can't　think　now　why　I　have　been　making　such　an　absolute　fool　of　myself。〃

Katherine　got　up　too。

〃I　am　so　glad　you　feel　better；〃　she　said；　trying　to　make　her　voice　sound　as　conventional　as　possible。　She　was　only　too　well　aware　that　the　aftermath　of　confidences　is　embarrassment。　She　added　tactfully：

〃I　must　be　going　back　to　my　own　partment。〃

She　emerged　into　the　corridor　at　the　same　time　as　the　maid　was　also　ing　out　from　the　next　door。　The　latter　looked　towards　Katherine；　over　her　shoulder；　and　an　expression　of　intense　surprise　showed　itself　on　her　face。　Katherine　turned　also；　but　by　that　time　whoever　it　was　who　had　aroused　the　maid's　interest　had　retreated　into　his　or　her　partment；　and　the　corridor　was　empty。　Katherine　walked　down　it　to　regain　her　own　place；　which　was　in　the　next　coach。　As　she　passed　the　end　partment　the　door　opened　and　a　woman's　face　looked　out　for　a　moment　and　then　pulled　the　door　to　sharply。

It　was　a　face　not　easily　forgotten；　as　Katherine　was　to　know　when　she　saw　it　again。　A　beaut