An inkling of untoward deeds on the part of Hurstwood had come.  Doctor Beale, the handsome resident physician of the neighborhood, met Mrs. Hurstwood at her own doorstep some days after Hurstwood and Carrie had taken the drive west on Washington Boulevard.  Dr. Beale, coming east on the same drive, had recognized Hurstwood, but not before he was quite past him.  He was not so sure of Carrie—­did not know whether it was Hurstwood’s wife or daughter.

“You don’t speak to your friends when you meet them out driving, do you?” he said, jocosely, to Mrs. Hurstwood.

“If I see them, I do.  Where was I?”

“On Washington Boulevard.” he answered, expecting her eye to light with immediate remembrance.

She shook her head.

“Yes, out near Hoyne Avenue.  You were with your husband.”

“I guess you’re mistaken,” she answered.  Then, remembering her husband’s part in the affair, she immediately fell a prey to a host of young suspicions, of which, however, she gave no sign.

“I know I saw your husband,” he went on.  “I wasn’t so sure about you.  Perhaps it was your daughter.”

“Perhaps it was,” said Mrs. Hurstwood, knowing full well that such was not the case, as Jessica had been her companion for weeks.  She had recovered herself sufficiently to wish to know more of the details.

“Was it in the afternoon?” she asked, artfully, assuming an air of acquaintanceship with the matter.

“Yes, about two or three.”

“It must have been Jessica,” said Mrs. Hurstwood, not wishing to seem to attach any importance to the incident.

The physician had a thought or two of his own, but dismissed the matter as worthy of no further discussion on his part at least.

Mrs. Hurstwood gave this bit of information considerable thought during the next few hours, and even days.  She took it for granted that the doctor had really seen her husband, and that he had been riding, most likely, with some other woman, after announcing himself as busy to her.  As a consequence, she recalled, with rising feeling, how often he had refused to go to places with her, to share in little visits, or, indeed, take part in any of the social amenities which furnished the diversion of her existence.  He had been seen at the theatre with people whom he called Moy’s friends; now he was seen driving, and, most likely, would have an excuse for that.  Perhaps there were others of whom she did not hear, or why should he be so busy, so indifferent, of late?  In the last six weeks he had become strangely irritable—­ strangely satisfied to pick up and go out, whether things were right or wrong in the house.  Why?

She recalled, with more subtle emotions, that he did not look at her now with any of the old light of satisfaction or approval in his eye.  Evidently, along with other things, he was taking her to be getting old and uninteresting.  He saw her wrinkles, perhaps.  She was fading, while he was still preening himself in his elegance and youth.  He was still an interested factor in the merry-makings of the world, while she—­but she did not pursue the thought.  She only found the whole situation bitter, and hated him for it thoroughly.