The footman came out smiling, "What did I want?"
"I--I--Mr. Locke."
"Well you needn't be in such a hurry!" (with a significant grin). "Mr.
Locke's likely to be busy for a few minutes yet, I expect."
Evidently the man did not know me.
"Tell him that--that a person wishes to speak to him on particular
business." Though I had no more notion what that business was than the man
himself.
"Sit down in the hall."
And I heard the fellow, a moment afterwards, gossiping and laughing with
the maids below about the "young couple."
To sit down was impossible; my only thought was--where was Lillian?
Voices in an adjoining room caught my ear. His! yes--and hers too--soft
and low. What devil prompted me to turn eavesdropper? to run headlong
into temptation? I was close to the dining-room door, but they were not
there--evidently they were in the back room, which, as I knew, opened into
it with folding-doors. I--I must confess all.--Noiselessly, with craft like
a madman's, I turned the handle, slipped in as stealthily as a cat--the
folding-doors were slightly open. I had a view of all that passed within.
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