Drouet really had called, but it was with a very different mind from that which Carrie had imagined.  He expected to find her, to justify his return by claiming that he came to get the remaining portion of his wardrobe, and before he got away again to patch up a peace.

Accordingly, when he arrived, he was disappointed to find Carrie out.  He trifled about, hoping that she was somewhere in the neighborhood and would soon return.  He constantly listened, expecting to hear her foot on the stair.

When he did so, it was his intention to make believe that he had just come in and was disturbed at being caught.  Then he would explain his need of his clothes and find out how things stood.

Wait as he did, however, Carrie did not come.  From pottering around among the drawers, in momentary expectation of her arrival he changed to looking out of the window, and from that to resting himself in the rocking-chair.  Still no Carrie.  He began to grow restless and lit a cigar.  After that he walked the floor.  Then he looked out of the window and saw clouds gathering.  He remembered an appointment at three.  He began to think that it would be useless to wait, and got hold of his umbrella and light coat, intending to take these things, any way.  It would scare her, he hoped.  To-morrow he would come back for the others.  He would find out how things stood.

As he started to go he felt truly sorry that he had missed her.  There was a little picture of her on the wall, showing her arrayed in the little jacket he had first bought her—­her face a little more wistful than he had seen it lately.  He was really touched by it, and looked into the eyes of it with a rather rare feeling for him.

“You didn’t do me right, Cad,” he said, as if he were addressing her in the flesh.

Then he went to the door, took a good look around and went out.

Chapter XXVII WHEN WATERS ENGULF US WE REACH FOR A STAR

It was when he returned from his disturbed stroll about the streets, after receiving the decisive note from McGregor, James and Hay, that Hurstwood found the letter Carrie had written him that morning.  He thrilled intensely as he noted the handwriting, and rapidly tore it open.

“Then,” he thought, “she loves me or she would not have written to me at all.”

He was slightly depressed at the tenor of the note for the first few minutes, but soon recovered.  “She wouldn’t write at all if she didn’t care for me.”

This was his one resource against the depression which held him.  He could extract little from the wording of the letter, but the spirit he thought he knew.

There was really something exceedingly human—­if not pathetic—­in his being thus relieved by a clearly worded reproof.  He who had for so long remained satisfied with himself now looked outside of himself for comfort—­and to such a source.  The mystic cords of affection!  How they bind us all.