Her ease of manner and fine freedom of conversation were gone, and the gentleman who had been fascinated by her wit, intelligence and frank womanly bearing now felt an almost repellant coldness.
"You cannot feel well, Mrs.Abercrombie," he said.

"The air is close and hot.

Let me take you back to the parlors." She did not reply, nor indeed seem to hear him.

Her eyes had become suddenly arrested by some object a little way off, and were fixed upon it in a frightened stare.

The gentleman turned and saw only her husband in lively conversation with a lady.