He felt humiliated, as though he had
received a blow; inclined to slink about and hide his face from other
men. There was contamination in the mere fact of having been a witness.
Oh, it was villainous. How carefully the hour and place had been
chosen!
And he himself, during that evening walk, had given her the idea. He
had said how easily a man could be thrown over at that spot. Very
simple. . . .
His mind would clear up, maybe, in course of time. Meanwhile he
remembered about Retlow-ALIASMuhlen. It came to him in a flash. The man
was his cousin's first husband; possibly her only legal husband, seeing
that she may not have been able to secure sufficient evidence against
him to justify a divorce--had, indeed, lost sight of the scoundrel
altogether for several years prior to her elopement with young Meadows.
It might well be that Muhlen had heard somehow or other of her presence
on Nepenthe, and gone there for the purpose of renewing acquaintance
with her. But this foul crime! For it cannot have been a sudden impulse
on her part.
Pages:
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643