For she was looking up at Thresk's face all this while, and the surprise had gone from it.

It seemed to her that he was moved.
"You have the portrait of a friend of mine there," he said, and he crossed the room to the piano.
Mrs.Carruthers turned round.
"Oh, Stella Ballantyne!" she cried.

"Do you know her, Mr.Thresk ?" "Ballantyne ?" said Thresk.

For a moment or two he was silent.

Then he asked: "She is married then ?" "Yes, didn't you know?
She has been married for a long time." "It's a long time since I have heard of her," said Thresk.