"
He watched them go in, then he gave orders to drive at once to the
Connecticut Avenue entrance.
A woman stood by the gate, a tall woman in a long blue cloak and a
close blue bonnet. In the clear cold, her coloring showed vivid pink
and white. The General spoke through the tube; the chauffeur descended
and opened the door.
"If you will get in," the General said to the woman, "you can tell me
what you have to say--"
"Perhaps I should not have asked it," Hilda said, hesitating, "but I
had seen you riding in the Park, and I thought of this way--I couldn't
of course, come to the house."
"No." He had sunk down among his robes. "No."
"I felt that perhaps you had been led to--misunderstand." She came
directly to the point. "I wanted to know--what I had done--what had
made the difference. I couldn't believe that you had not meant what
you said."
He stirred uneasily. "I have been very ill--"
Her long white hands were ungloved, the diamonds that he had given her
sparkled as she drew the ring off slowly. "I felt that I ought to give
you this--if it was all really over."
"It is all over.
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