She had passed through the parlor door on to one of the long porticoes of the building, and was moving rapidly, when, just before reaching the end, where another door communicated with a stairway, she suddenly stood still, face to face with a man who had stepped from that door out upon the portico.
"Jess--Mrs.Dexter!" the man checked the unguarded utterance of her familiar Christian name, and gave the other designation.
"Mr.Hendrickson!" Only for an instant did Mrs.Dexter betray herself; but in that instant her heart was read, as if a blaze of lightning had flashed over one of its pages, long hidden away in darkness, and revealed the writing thereon in letters of gleaming fire.
"You arrived to day ?" Mr.Hendrickson also regained the even balance of mind which had momentarily been lost, and regained it as quickly as the lady.

He spoke with the pleased air of an acquaintance--nothing more.
"This afternoon," replied Mrs.Dexter in a quiet tone, and with a smile in which no casual observer could have seen anything deeper than pleasant recognition.
"How long will you remain ?" "It is not certain; perhaps until the season closes." Mrs.Dexter made a motion to pass on.

Mr.Hendrickson raised his hat and bowed very respectfully; and thus the sudden interview ended.
Mr.Dexter had followed his wife to the door of the parlor, and stood looking at her as she retired along the portico.

This meeting with Hendrickson was therefore in full view.

A sudden paleness overspread his countenance; and from his convulsed lips there fell a bitter imprecation.
On reaching her apartments, Mrs.Dexter was so weak that she was forced to sit down upon the first chair she could obtain.