He had reached the end of the wagon track now, and he walked across the lawn, his steps noiseless on the velvet sward, and passed between the maples; and the moon gleam--for the flying clouds, rear-guard of the routed storm, were flung wide apart, dispersed--fell upon a coiled and huddled little figure all in white, that was quite still and motionless upon the rustic seat beside the porch.
She did not see him, did not hear him, until he stood before her and called her name.
She raised her head and looked at him; and then she rose from the bench, and, still holding to it by one hand, drew back a little. There was no outcry, no startled action. Her dark eyes played questioningly upon him--and he could see that they were wet with tears, and that the face from out of which they looked was very white.
"Why have you come back here to-night?" she asked in a low tone; and then, suddenly, a fear, a terror in her voice, as the Flopper's warning flashed upon her: "Thornton--you have seen Thornton?"
"Yes," he said, surprised a little that she should know; "I saw Thornton a few minutes ago."
She came toward him now and clutched his arm.
"What have you done?" she cried tensely. "Answer me! You--you met him on your way here?"
It was a moment before Madison replied. He had schooled himself of course for more than this, yet the words hurt--that was why she had asked for Thornton--she was afraid that he had harmed the man.
"No," he said; "I did not meet him. I think you must have been longer here on that bench than you imagined--haven't you? He came to my room."
"To call me a gentleman and repose a trust."
"I do not know what you are talking about," she said in a strained way. "And you are talking very strangely."
"Yes," he said. "Everything is strange to-night. It is like a new world, and--and I have not found my way--yet."
"No," he answered. "Not now--that Is past."
She looked at him for a little time; and, her hands joined before her, her fingers locked and interlocked nervously.
"It was a trust," said Madison slowly; "but it was betrayed before it was given. He did not know--the game. He did not know what was between--you and me."
"No," she said--and the word came almost inaudibly.
"And so," he said, "I will tell you, for it cannot matter now in any case. He told me that he had asked you to marry him to-night--and that you had refused."