But then, that was
impossible; Reginald was fond of him.
Suddenly Ernest's meditations were interrupted by a noise at the outer
door. A key was turned in the lock. It must be he--but why so soon? What
could have brought him back at this hour? He opened the door and went
out into the hall to see what had happened. The figure that he beheld
was certainly not the person expected, but a woman, from whose shoulders
a theatre-cloak fell in graceful folds,--probably a visitor for
Reginald. Ernest was about to withdraw discreetly, when the electric
light that was burning in the hallway fell upon her face and illumined
it.
Then indeed surprise overcame him. "Ethel," he cried, "is it you?"
XXIII
Ernest conducted Ethel Brandenbourg to his room and helped her to remove
her cloak.
While he was placing the garment upon the back of a chair, she slipped a
little key into her hand-bag. He looked at her with a question in his
eyes.
"Yes," she replied, "I kept the key; but I had not dreamed that I would
ever again cross this threshold.
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