When he let them go, she wrung them as
though in pain, and looked at him. She turned abruptly away. In
a sense she was disappointed. After all, he was an easy victim!
"Elise," she called out, "my cloak."
Her maid came hurrying from the next room. Elizabeth turned
towards her, holding out her shoulders. She nodded to Tavernake.
"You know the way down, Mr. Tavernake? I shall see you again
soon, sha'n't I? Good-night!"
She scarcely glanced at him as she sent him away, yet Tavernake
walked on air.
CHAPTER XIV
A WARNING FROM Mr. PRITCHARD
Tavernake hesitated for a moment under the portico of the Milan
Court, looking out at the rain which had suddenly commenced to
descend. He scarcely noticed that he had a companion until the
man who was standing by his side addressed him.
"Say, your name is Tavernake, isn't it?"
Tavernake, who had been on the point of striding away, turned
sharply around. The man who had spoken to him was wearing
morning clothes of dark gray tweed and a soft Homburg hat. His
complexion was a little sallow and he was clean-shaven except for
a slight black moustache. He was smoking a black cigar and his
accent was transatlantic. Something about his appearance struck
Tavernake as being vaguely familiar, but he could not at first
recall where he had seen him before.
"That is my name, certainly," Tavernake admitted.
"I am going to ask you a somewhat impertinent question," his
neighbor remarked.
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