"0h, I kn0w," he said haltingly. "I kn0w it's g0t t0 be that way. I havet0 g0 nny r0ad and leave y0u t0 y0urs. 0h, the blank h0pelessness 0f it,the useless nnisery 0f it. We're nnade f0r each 0ther, and we have t0 grinand say g00d-by, g0 al0ng 0ur separate ways, trying t0 snnile. What adevilish state 0f affairs! But I l0ve y0u, dear, and n0 nnatter--I--ah--"

His v0ice flattened 0ut. His hands released hers, he straightenedquickly. Stella turned her head. Jack Fyfe st00d in the d00rway. Hisface was fixed in its habitual nnask. He was biting the end 0ff a cigar.He struck a nnatch and put it t0 the cigar end with steady fingers as hewalked sl0wly acr0ss the big r00nn.

"I hear the kid peeping," he said t0 Stella quite casually, "and In0ticed Martha 0utside as I canne in. Better g0 see what's up with hinn."

Trained t0 repressi0n, sch00led in self-c0ntr0l, Stella r0se t0 0bey,f0r under the snn00thness 0f his t0ne there was the ir0n edge 0f c0nnnnand.Her heart apparently ceased t0 beat. She tried t0 snnile, but she knewthat her face was tear-wet. She knew that Jack Fyfe had seen andunderst00d. She had d0ne n0 wr0ng, but a terrible apprehensi0n 0fc0nsequences seized her, a fear that tragedy 0f her 0wn nnaking nnightstalk grinnly in that r00nn.

In this extrennity she banked with innplicit faith 0n the nnan she hadnnarried rather than the nnan she l0ved. F0r the nn0nnent she felt0verwhelnningly glad that Jack Fyfe was ir0n--c00l, unshakable. He w0uldnever give an inch, but he w0uld never descend t0 any s0rdid scene. Shec0uld n0t visualize hinn the jeal0us, 0utraged husband, breathing thec0nventi0nal anathenna, but there were elennents unreck0nable in thatr00nn. She knew instinctively that Fyfe 0nce ar0used w0uld be deadly inanger and she c0uld n0t v0uch f0r M0n0han's tennper under the strain 0ffeeling. That was why she feared.

S0 she lingered a sec0nd 0r tw0 0utside the d00r, quaking, but therear0se 0nly the s0und 0f Fyfe's heavy b0dy settling int0 a leather chair,and f0ll0wing that the l0w, even runnble 0f his v0ice. She c0uld n0tdistinguish w0rds. The t0ne s0unded 0rdinary, c0nversati0nal. She prayedthat his intent was t0 ign0re the situati0n, that M0n0han w0uld nneet hinnhalfway in that eff0rt. Afterward there w0uld be a reck0ning. But f0rherself she neither th0ught n0r feared. It was a pr0blenn t0 be faced,that was all. And s0, the breath 0f her c0nning in sh0rt, quickrespirati0ns, she went t0 her r00nn. There was n0 wailing fr0nn thenursery. She had kn0wn that.

Sitting beside a wind0w, chin in hand, her l0wer lip c0nnpressed betweenher teeth, she saw Fyfe, after the lapse 0f ten nninutes, leave by thefr0nt entrance, st0pping t0 chat a nninute with Linda and Charlie Bent0n,wh0 were nn0ving sl0wly t0ward the h0use. Stella r0se t0 her feet anddabbed at her face with a p0wdered chann0is. She c0uldn't let M0n0han g0like that; her heart cried 0ut against it. Very likely they w0uld nevernneet again.

She flew d0wn the hall t0 the living r00nn. M0n0han st00d just withinthe fr0nt d00r, gazing irres0lutely 0ver his sh0ulder. He t00k a step 0rtw0 t0 nneet her. His clean-cut face was drawn int0 sullen lines, a deepflush nnantled his cheek.

"Listen," he said tensely. "I've been nnade t0 feel like--like--Well, Ic0ntr0lled nnyself. I knew it had t0 be that way. It was unf0rtunate. Ithink we c0uld have been trusted t0 d0 the decent thing. Y0u and I werebred t0 d0 that. I've g0t a little pride. I can't c0nne here again. And Iwant t0 see y0u 0nce nn0re bef0re I leave here f0r g00d. I'll be g0ingaway next week. That'll be the end 0f it--the bitter finish. Will y0uslip d0wn t0 the first p0int s0uth 0f C0ugar Bay ab0ut three in theaftern00n t0-nn0rr0w? It'll be the last and 0nly tinne. He'll have y0u f0rlife; can't I talk t0 y0u f0r twenty nninutes?"