It was Cora who recovered most quickly. Dr. Lister blinked for a second before answering the question which she promptly put to him, first with amazement at Richard, then in sympathy with her evident astonishment and pain, then at her question. She inquired about the politics of modern Italy, and in a second, he answered her as carefully as he would have answered her father. Was she interested in modern Italy? Cora even managed a little laugh as she answered that it was the interesting look of Italy on the map which had always attracted her. She paid Dr. Lister a pretty compliment about his teaching at which he flushed with pleasure and carried her off to the library. If poor Cora wilted a little after her first instinctive flash in her own defense, he did not observe, so absorbed was he in showing her his books. Both Dr. and Mrs. Lister walked across the campus with her when it was time to go home, her little figure proceeding straight and slender between them. She now talked about nothing, though she spoke steadily in a high, clear voice. When they reached the porch, she did not invite them to come in. From her sitting-room Mrs. Scott asked where Richard was. "He's--" for an instant little Cora meant to say, "Richard didn't come in"; then she proceeded composedly into the bright light. "Dr. and Mrs. Lister brought me home." "Where was Richard?" "He had an engagement." "An engagement! Do you mean to say that he wasn't at supper?" "Yes, he was at supper." "An engagement with whom?" "I didn't ask. Perhaps--" Cora's voice failed her for a second. With whom in Waltonville could Richard have an engagement when he might have been with her?--"perhaps with Miss Thomasina." "An engagement with Thomasina! When you were there to supper!" Mrs. Scott's ferret eyes seemed to pierce to Cora's soul. "When did this engagement begin?" "About an hour ago." "Thomasina is a fool," declared Mrs. Scott. Then she repeated, "a fool." "Oh, no, mother!" said Cora lightly. "Good-night." She went up the stairs with an even, steady step. At the top, where all sound was lost in the thick carpet, she stood still, her hand on the banister. "Nothing dreadful has happened," said she to herself. "He might easily have gone to Miss Thomasina's, he's so crazy about music." After a while she said again, "Nothing dreadful"; then she went into her room and closed the door, and all dressed in her best as she was, lay down and hid her face in her pillow. When Richard came home at eleven o'clock, his father and mother had gone to bed. He heard them talking, and they heard him come in. He saw his mother standing in her white gown at her door as he came up the stairs. She had determined to be patient even with this vagary. "Good-night, Richard," said she. "Good-night, darling." "Good-night," said Richard.