CHAPTER III

UNDER THE ASHES


He had neither burned nor returned the photograph to Mrs. Ruthven. The
prospect perplexed and depressed Selwyn.

He was sullenly aware that in a town where the divorced must ever be
reckoned with when dance and dinner lists are made out, there is always
some thoughtless hostess--and sometimes a mischievous one; and the
chances were that he and Mrs. Jack Ruthven would collide, either through
the forgetfulness or malice of somebody or, through sheer hazard, at
some large affair where Destiny and Fate work busily together in
criminal copartnership.

And he encountered her first at a masque and revel given by Mrs.
Delmour-Carnes where Fate contrived that he should dance in the same set
with his _ci-devant_ wife before the unmasking, and where, unaware, they
gaily exchanged salute and hand-clasp before the jolly _mêlée_ of
unmasking revealed how close together two people could come after
parting for ever and a night at the uttermost ends of the earth.

When masks at last were off there was neither necessity nor occasion for
the two surprised and rather pallid young people to renew civilities;
but later, Destiny, the saturnine partner in the business, interfered;
and some fool in the smoking room tried to introduce Selwyn to Ruthven.
The slightest mistake on their parts would have rendered the incident