At the same instant with the other hand he crumpled up the paper that lay before him.

For an instant he stood glaring.

Then astonishment and joy took the place of the ferocity which had convulsed his features--a ferocity which had sent her shrinking back in horror as from something which had never before intruded into her gentle life.
"It's you!" said he, mopping his brow.

"And to think that you should come to me, heart of my heart, and I should find nothing better to do than to want to strangle you! Come then, darling," and he held out his arms, "let me make it up to you." But she had not recovered from that sudden glimpse of guilty fear which she had read in the man's face.

All her woman's instinct told her that it was not the mere fright of a man who is startled.