The man, whose duty as host had hitherto occupied all his attention, looked for the woman, but she was gone.
"A friend strolled by, the same that had put the question to him about love and vanity.
"'Have you quarrelled ?' asked the friend.
"'No,' replied the man.
"'I fancied you had,' said the other.

'I met her just now walking with her husband, of all men in the world, and making herself quite agreeable to him.' "The friend strolled on, and the man sat down on a fallen tree, and lighted a cigar.

He smoked and thought, and the cigar burnt out, but he still sat thinking.
"After a while he heard a faint rustling of the branches behind him, and peering between the interlacing leaves that hid him, saw the crouching figure of the woman creeping through the wood.
"His lips were parted to call her name, when she turned her listening head in his direction, and his eyes fell full upon her face.

Something about it, he could not have told what, struck him dumb, and the woman crept on.
"Gradually the nebulous thoughts floating through his brain began to solidify into a tangible idea, and the man unconsciously started forward.
After walking a few steps he broke into a run, for the idea had grown clearer.

It continued to grow still clearer and clearer, and the man ran faster and faster, until at last he found himself racing madly towards the lock.