even deeper than that. Fascinated horror seems a more apt expression.

'I insist on its being recovered,' went on Marion.

A strange exclamation from William made us all look at him. 'Women,'
he said, 'are beyond me--utterly beyond me, I repeat.'

'I'm glad you admit it,' snapped Marion.

'In guile,' he continued coldly. 'I suppose, now, you have never heard
of a woman thrusting her photograph where it is not wanted accompanied
by verse of an amorous character?'

Marion looked contemptuously at him. 'What on earth are you raving
about?' she inquired.

Henry and I intervened at this moment and changed the subject, feeling
that a quarrel between them was imminent. It was all very strange and
puzzling. But the strangest thing was yet to come. I had accompanied
Marion upstairs to put on her cloak before departure, and when we
descended William had vanished. Henry related that he was just
answering a call on the 'phone when he saw William dash past him into
the small lobby off the hall, possess himself of hat and coat, and,
after muttering some words of apology, go forth into the darkness.

'How eccentric--and ill-behaved, too,' I commented. 'It looks almost
as if he wished to avoid accompanying Marion home.'

We were standing in the drawing-room as I spoke. Suddenly I gave a
start as my eye drifted to the mantelpiece. 'What an extraordinary