’Why, then, it must have been Mrs. Langland, and I have a good mind to put her to open shame by asking you to come and see my wretched daubs.’

Nothing would please him better, declared Thistlewood; and thereupon he accepted an invitation to tea for the following afternoon.

Alma asked no one else.  She understood that this man was only to be observed under favourable conditions by isolating him.  She wished, moreover, to bring him into fireside conversation with Harvey, and to remark her husband’s demeanour.  By way of preparation for this conjuncture, she let fall, in private chat with Harvey, a word or two which pointed humorously at her suspicions concerning Thistlewood and Mary Abbott.  The hearer exhibited an incredulous surprise.

‘It was only a fancy,’ said Alma, smiling rather coldly; and she felt more desirous than ever of watching her husband in Thistlewood’s presence.

Unexpectedly, from her point of view, the two men got along together very well indeed.  Harvey, thoroughly cordial, induced their guest to speak of his work at the School of Art, and grew so interested in it that the conversation went on for a couple of hours.  Thistlewood had pronounced and enthusiastic ideas on the subject.

‘My difficulty is,’ he exclaimed, ’that I can’t get hold of the children young enough.  People send their boys and girls to be taught drawing as an “accomplishment” —­ the feeble old notion.  I want to teach it as a most important part of elementary education —­ in fact, to take youngsters straight on from the kindergarten stage.’

‘Did I tell you,’ put in Alma, ’that our little boy goes to Mrs Abbott’s?’ and her eyes were on both men at once.

‘I should say you couldn’t have done better than send him there,’ replied Thistlewood, shuffling his feet and fidgeting with his hands.  ’Mrs. Abbott is an admirable teacher.  She quite agrees with me —­ I should say that I quite agree with her.  But I am forgetting, Mrs. Rolfe, that you know her better than I do.’

Hughie was allowed to come into the room for a little while, and to give an account of what he learnt at school.  When at length Thistlewood took his leave, it was with a promise that he would come again and dine a few days hence.  His visit at Mrs. Langland’s would extend over another fortnight.  Before the day of his departure northwards, Alma met him several times, and succeeded in establishing almost an intimate friendship with him.  He came to bid her goodbye on a black and bitter January afternoon, when it happened that Harvey was away.  As soon as he entered, she saw upon his face a look of ill augury, a heavy-eyed dejection very unlike the twinkling hopefulness with which he had hitherto regarded her.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked, holding his hand for a moment.  ’Don’t you like going back to work?’

‘I enjoy my work, Mrs. Rolfe, as you know.’

‘But you are not like yourself.’