A lady appeared on the threshold.

Seeing the stranger, she turned to Iris.
"I didn't know, dear Miss Henley, that you had a visitor.

Pray pardon my intrusion." The voice was deep; the articulation was clear; the smile presented a certain modest dignity which gave it a value of its own.

This was a woman who could make such a commonplace thing as an apology worth listening to.

Iris stopped her as she was about to leave the room.