If he could have seen her countenance more clearly, he would have been glad.

There seemed to be a veil between him and it, a hazy indistinctness which he found it difficult to understand; but remembering that he was looking through two windows and on a long diagonal, he accepted this slight drawback with equanimity and was about to indulge in the comfort of a cigar when he saw the scene he still held in view change, and change vividly, to the excitation of a fresh interest and a still more careful watch.
A girl had approached Madame Duclos from some place quite out of sight, and in passing her by, had slipped a note into her hand.

The Frenchwoman had taken it, but in a way indicating shock.

The ease which had given suppleness to her form and surety to all her movements was gone in an instant, and from the furtive way in which she sought to read the communication thus handed her Mr.Gryce saw that his own powers would soon be taxed to keep him even with a situation changing thus from moment to moment under his eye.
What did that note contain, and who could have taken advantage of the arrival of some late-comer to slip it into her hand?
Mr.Gryce found this a very formidable question, and watched with ever-increasing anxiety to see what effect these unknown words would have upon their recipient when her opportunity came for reading them.
A startling one--of that he was presently a witness; for no sooner had she taken in their import than she cast a hurried look about her and left her place without fuss or flurry, but with an air of quiet determination which Mr.Gryce felt confident covered a resolution which nothing could balk.
She had not only left her bench but seemingly was in the act of leaving the building.

This, of course, it was for him to prevent, and he rose to do so.