So I waited, repeating to myself the formula agreed on two or three months before, that I would see her first—and shoot myself afterward. _CHAPTER IX_ “Haven’t we met before?” Regina Barry said this as she came into the room with her rapid, easy movement and took two or three paces toward me, stopping as abruptly as she entered. I hung my head, crimsoning slowly. “Yes.” “I thought so, though I didn’t recognize you at first. I knew I had some association with you, but it was so vague—” “Of course.” “Then I had no idea you were an architect.” “How could you?” “You see, meeting you for so short a time—” “And practically in the dark—” “I don’t remember that. But I had no chance to ask anything about you. I only hoped you’d come back.” “Oh, I couldn’t have done that.” “Why not?” “I should think you’d understand.” “I don’t—considering that I asked you particularly.” “I know you asked me particularly, but anything in life—or death—would have been easier than to obey you.” “What did I do to frighten you so?” “Nothing but show me too much mercy.” “Oh, I didn’t think anything of that.” “Of what? Of the crime—or of the forgiveness?” “Of the crime, of course.” I stepped back from her in amazement. “You didn’t think anything of—” “Why, no! I’ve often done the same myself.” “You? You’ve often done—” “Of course! Everybody has—at one time or another in their lives. Naturally it doesn’t happen every day—and one wouldn’t want it to. One wouldn’t have anything left in the house if it did; but once in a way—it’s nothing. What astonishes me is that you should have thought of it.” “But—but you’ve thought of it.” “Oh, well—that’s different. But please don’t suppose that I’ve thought of it seriously. It simply happened that that evening—” The only sign of embarrassment she gave was in grasping the greenish-goldish veil with her left hand and pulling it round over her bosom. The great eyes, of which the light made one doubtful as to the color, glowed feverishly, and the long scarlet lips threw at me one of their daring, challenging smiles. “Do you want me to be absolutely frank?” “We began with frankness, didn’t we? Why shouldn’t we keep it up?” “Well, it happened that that evening I’d broken off my engagement.” Not to betray all I had learned by my eavesdropping behind the rose-colored hangings, I merely said, “Indeed?” “Yes; and so I was a little—well, perhaps a little excited. And anything that happened impressed me more than it would have done ordinarily. If I’ve thought of the way you appeared—and what happened when you did—it’s only been because it was part of the hours right after—” There was another of those smiles that were amusingly apologetic as well as amusingly provocative. “You’re—you’re not married, are you?” “No.” “Nor engaged?” “No.” “Ever been?” “No.”