toward the window which led into the garden. The situation was a
terrible one--equally terrible if his wife discovered Lady Jane, or if
Lady Jane discovered his wife. For the moment nobody was visible on the
lawn. There was time, if the chance only offered--there was time for
him to get the visitor out of the house. The visitor, innocent of all
knowledge of the truth, gayly offered him her hand.

"I believe in mesmerism for the first time," she said. "This is an
instance of magnetic sympathy, Mr. Vanborough. An invalid friend of mine
wants a furnished house at Hampstead. I undertake to find one for her,
and the day _I_ select to make the discovery is the day _you_ select for
dining with a friend. A last house at Hampstead is left on my list--and
in that house I meet you. Astonishing!" She turned to Mr. Delamayn. "I
presume I am addressing the owner of the house?" Before a word could
be said by either of the gentlemen she noticed the garden. "What pretty
grounds! Do I see a lady in the garden? I hope I have not driven her
away." She looked round, and appealed to Mr. Vanborough. "Your friend's
wife?" she asked, and, on this occasion, waited for a reply.

In Mr. Vanborough's situation what reply was possible?

Mrs. Vanborough was not only visible--but audible--in the garden; giving
her orders to one of the out-of-door servants with the tone and manner
which proclaimed the mistress of the house. Suppose he said, "She is
_not_ my friend's wife?" Female curiosity would inevitably put the
next question, "Who is she?" Suppose he invented an explanation? The
explanation would take time, and time would give his wife an opportunity
of discovering Lady Jane. Seeing all these considerations in one
breathless moment, Mr. Vanborough took the shortest and the boldest
way out of the difficulty. He answered silently by an affirmative