Silly reflections! Childish defense against this financial coldness! If Arnold had known that she still had securities to the amount of considerably more than one hundred thousand dollars in her safety deposit box, his manner would have continued balmy. But he did not know this. He only knew that she was spending a great deal of money. And he had dined with Shippen the previous evening. Shippen had told him that she was separated from her husband. When he expressed surprise, Shippen expressed regret that he had “let the thing out”; he supposed the facts were already known in Shannon, he said. Arnold assured him to the contrary. He said that he had had a “hunch,” because he was subject to hunches as a financial man; but he had rather expected Cutter himself to fail. He had never entertained the slightest suspicion of Mrs. Cutter. How long had she been separated from her husband? Shippen replied that he did not know; but he had thought probably some time before Cutter resigned from the presidency of the Shannon bank and took up his residence in New York. Arnold said he thought it must have occurred quite recently, because Mrs. Cutter had been with her husband in New York for at least five months. In fact, she had only returned to Shannon late in January. “I am associated with Cutter. I see him every day. I am constantly in his home, a bachelor apartment, and I positively know that his wife has never been in the place,” Shippen replied. “But I tell you she left here soon after Cutter did, and she did not return until about two months ago,” Arnold insisted, round-eyed with amazement. Shippen closed his lips grimly, implying that these were the lips of a gentlemen. A woman scorned may be dangerous, but a man defeated can be meanly revengeful. Shippen was reacting, after the manner of his kind, from the disgust he now felt toward this innocent woman. No, he answered in reply to Arnold’s next question, there had been no divorce yet, though he had reason to believe Cutter would be glad to get one. “Cutter!” Arnold exclaimed. Shippen nodded; then after a pause he added: “My impression is that Mrs. Cutter will not be the one to bring the suit, if it is ever brought.” “But he--man, do you know what you are saying about that woman?” Arnold exclaimed. “I am saying nothing about her. I have seen something of her. I paid her a visit this afternoon, in fact; but--” “You know her?” “Since 1914,” he nodded.