“Yes, he is,” assented Henry.

“And I don’t believe he pays more than a cent apiece.  His cigars have gilt papers around them, and I know as well as I want to they’re cheap; I know a cent apiece is a much as he pays.  He smokes so many he can’t pay more than that.”

Henry sniffed again, but Sylvia did not hear.  She had one deaf ear, and she was lying on her sound one.  Then they fell asleep, and it was some time before both woke suddenly.  A sound had wakened Henry, an odor Sylvia.  Henry had heard a door open, forcing him into wakefulness; Sylvia had smelled the cigar again.  She nudged her husband.  Just then the tall clock in the sitting-room struck ten deliberately.

“It’s late, and he’s awake, smoking, now,” whispered Sylvia.

Henry said nothing.  He only grunted.

“Don’t you think it’s queer?”

“Oh no.  I guess he’s only reading,” replied Henry.  He had a strong masculine loyalty towards Horace, as another man.  He waited until he heard Sylvia’s heavy, regular breathing again.  Then he slipped out of bed and stole to the window.  It was a strange night, very foggy, but the fog was shot through with shafts of full moonlight.  The air was heavy and damp and sweet.  Henry listened a moment at the bedroom window, then he tiptoed out into the sitting-room.  He stole across the hall into the best parlor.  He raised a window in there noiselessly, looked out, and listened.  There was a grove of pines and spruces on that side of the house.  There was a bench under a pine.  Upon this bench Henry gradually perceived a whiteness more opaque than that of the fog.  He heard a voice, then a responsive murmur.  Then the fragrant smoke of a cigar came directly in his face.  Henry shook his head.  He remained motionless a moment.  Then he left the room, and going into the hall stole up-stairs.  The door of the southwest chamber stood wide open.  Henry entered.  He was trembling like a woman.  He loved the young man, and suspicions, like dreadful, misshapen monsters, filled his fancy.  He peeped into the little room which he and Sylvia had fitted up as a bedroom for Horace, and it was vacant.

Henry went noiselessly back down-stairs and into his own room.  He lay down without disturbing his wife, but he did not fall asleep.  After what seemed to him a long time he heard a stealthy footstep on the stair, and again smelled the aroma of a cigar which floated down from overhead.

That awoke Sylvia.  “I declare, he’s smoking again,” she murmured, sleepily.  “It’s a dreadful habit.”

Henry made no reply.  He breathed evenly, pretending to be asleep.

Chapter V