return to an old and faithful love. Soon I go to America to fulfill my engagements, and then!"
"I understand," said Noel. "Well, good-by!"
"May I ask," inquired Petrovitch, retaining his hand, "how you came to hear that Freda?"
"Certainly," Noel answered promptly. "You see, years ago, when you and Connie—well—just at that time, my grandmother ran across some one who knew her—knew Freda. Naturally, my grandmother was unhappy about Connie, her daughter, and thought that possibly a divorce—you understand?"
"Perfectly."
"So she wrote to her."
"Ah! But my wife"
"Exactly! She wasn't having any. Well, she kept my grandmother's address, and the other day, being anxious and unhappy about you, she naturally thought we might be able to tell her something, and so"
Petrovitch made a gesture of the hands that showed a perfect comprehension, gratitude, sympathy, a yielding to fate, and a consciousness of his own power over women, wives and others. Noel envied him that gesture.
