room and you would occupy the one adjoining； which Cochran now
uses as a guest…room。 As you see； they are entirely cut off from…〃
Mr。 Griswold did not see。 Up to that moment he had given every
appearance of being both bored and sulky。 Now his attention was
entirely engagedbut not upon the admirable simplicity of Mr。
Cochran's ground…plan； as Mr。 Post had hoped。 Instead； the eyes
of the greatest catch in America were intently regarding a display
of photographs that smiled back at him from every corner of the
room。 Not only did he regard these photographs with a savage glare；
but he approached them and carefully studied the inscriptions scrawled
across the face of each。
Post himself cast a glance at the nearest photographs； and then
hastily manoeuvred his client into the hall and closed the door。
〃We will now；〃 he exclaimed； 〃visit the butler's pantry； which
opens upon the dining…room and kitchen； thus saving〃
But Griswold did not hear him。 Without giving another glance at
the house he stamped out of it and； plumping himself down in the
motor…car； banged the door。 Not until Post had driven him well
into New York did he make any comment。
〃What did you say；〃 he then demanded； 〃is the name of the man who
owns that last house we saw？〃
Post told him。
〃I never heard of him！〃 said Griswold as though he were
delivering young Cochran's death sentence。 〃Who is he？〃
〃He's an architect in our office；〃 said Post。 〃We think a lot of
him。 He'll leave us soon； of course。 The best ones always do。 His
work is very popular。 So is he。〃
〃I never heard of him；〃 repeated Griswold。 Then； with sudden
heat； he added savagely： 〃But I mean to to…night。〃
When Griswold had first persuaded Aline Proctor to engage herself
to him he had suggested that； to avoid embarrassment； she should
tell him the names of the other men to whom she had been engaged。
〃What kind of embarrassment would that avoid？〃
〃If I am talking to a man；〃 said Griswold； 〃and he knows the
woman I'm going to marry was engaged to him and I don't know
that； he has me at a disadvantage。〃
〃I don't see that he has；〃 said Aline。 〃If we suppose； for the sake
of argument； that to marry me is desirable； I would say that the
man who was going to marry me had the advantage over the one
I had declined to marry。〃
〃I want to know who those men are；〃 explained Griswold； 〃because
I want to avoid them。 I don't want to talk to them。 I don't want
even to know them。〃
〃I don't see how I can help you；〃 said Aline。 〃I haven't the
slightest objection to telling you the names of the men I have
cared for； if I can remember them； but I certainly do not intend
to tell you the name of any man who cared for me enough to ask me
to marry him。 That's his secret； not minecertainly not yours。〃
Griswold thought he was very proud。 He really was very vain； and
as jealousy is only vanity in its nastiest development he was
extremely jealous。 So he persisted。
〃Will you do this？〃 he demanded。 〃If I ever ask you； 'Is that one
of the men you cared for？' will you tell me？〃
〃If you wish it；〃 said Aline； 〃but I can't see any health in it。
It will only make you uncomfortable。 So long as you know I have
given you the greatest and truest love I am capable of； why
should you concern yourself with my mistakes？〃
〃So that I can avoid meeting what you call your mistakes；〃 said
Griswold〃 and being friendly with them。〃
〃I assure you；〃 laughed Aline； 〃it wouldn't hurt you a bit to be
as friendly with them as they'd let you。 Maybe they weren't as
proud of their families as you are； but they made up for that by
being a darned sight prouder of me！〃
Later； undismayed by this and unashamed； on two occasions
Griswold actually did demand of Aline if a genial youth she had
just greeted joyfully was one of those for whom she once had
cared。
And Aline had replied promptly and truthfully that he was。 But in
the case of Charles Cochran； Griswold did not ask Aline if he was
one of those for whom she once had cared。 He considered the
affair with Cochran so serious that； in regard to that man； he
adopted a different course。
In digging rivals out of the past his jealousy had made him
indefatigable； but in all his researches he never had heard the
name of Charles Cochran。 That fact and the added circumstance
that Aline herself never had mentioned the man was in his eyes so
suspicious as to be almost a damning evidence of deception。 And
he argued that if in the past Aline had deceived him as to Charles
Cochran she would continue to do so。 Accordingly； instead
of asking her frankly for the truth he proceeded to lay traps for
it。 And if there is one thing Truth cannot abide； it is being
hunted by traps。
That evening Aline and he were invited to a supper in her honor；
and as he drove her from the theatre to the home of their hostess
he told her of his search earlier in the day。
The electric light in the limousine showed Aline's face as
clearly as though it were held in a spotlight； and as he prepared
his trap Griswold regarded her jealously。
〃Post tells me；〃 he said； 〃he has the very man you want for your
architect。 He's sure you'll find him most understanding andand…
…
sympathetic。 He's a young man who is just coming to the front；
and he's very popular； especially with women。〃
〃What's his being popular with women；〃 asked Aline； 〃got to do
with his carrying out my ideas of a house？〃
〃That's just it；〃 said Griswold〃it's the woman who generally has
the most to say as to how her house shall be built； and this man
understands woman。 I have reasons for believing he will certainly
understand you！〃
〃If he understands me well enough to give me all the
linen…closets I want；〃 said Aline； 〃he will be perfectly
satisfactory。〃
Before delivering his blow Griswold sank back into his corner of
the car； drew his hat brim over his forehead； and fixed spying
eyes upon the very lovely face of the girl he had asked to marry
him。
〃His name；〃 he said in fateful tones； 〃is Charles Cochran！〃
It was supposed to be a body blow； but； to his distress； Aline
neither started nor turned pale。 Neither； for trying to trick
her； did she turn upon him in reproof and anger。 Instead； with
alert eyes； she continued to peer out of the window at the
electric…light advertisements and her beloved Broadway。
〃Well？〃 demanded Griswold； his tone was hoarse and heavy with
meaning。
〃Well what？〃 asked Aline pleasantly。
〃How；〃 demanded Griswold； 〃do you like Charles Cochran for an
architect？〃
〃How should I know？〃 asked Aline。 〃I've not met him yet！〃
She had said it！ And she had said it without the waver of one of
her lovely eyelashes。 No wonder the public already hailed her as
a finished actress！ Griswold felt that his worst fears were
justified。 She had lied to him。 And； as he knew she had never
before lied to him； that now she did so proved beyond hope of
doubt that the reason for it was vital； imperative； and compelling。
But of his suspicions Griswold gave no sign。 He would not at
once expose her。 He had trapped her； but as yet she must not
know that。 He would wait until he had still further entangled
heruntil she could not escape； and then； with complete proof
of her deceit； he would confront and overwhelm her。
With this amiable purpose in mind he called early the next morning
upon Post & Constant and asked to see Mr。 Cochran。 He wished；
he said； to consult him about the new house。 Post had not yet
reached the office； and of Griswold's visit with Post to his house
Cochran was still ignorant。 He received Griswold most courteously。
He felt that the man who was loved by the girl he also had long and
hopelessly worshipped was deserving of the highest consideration。
Griswold was less magnanimous。 When he found his rivalfor as
such he beheld himwas of charming manners and gallant appearance
he considered that fact an additional injury； but he concealed his
resentment； for he was going to trap Cochran； too。
He found the architect at work leaning over a drawing…board； and
as they talked Cochran continued to stand。 He was in his shirt…sleeves；
which were rolled to his shoulders； and the breadth of those shoulders
and the muscles of his sunburned arms were much in evidence。
Griswold considered it a vulgar exhibition。
For over ten minutes they talked solely of the proposed house；
but not once did Griswold expose the fact that he had seen any
more of it than any one might see from the public road。 When he
rose to take his leave he said：
〃How would it do if I motored out Sunday and showed your house
to Miss Proctor？ Sunday is the only day she has off； and if it would not
inconvenience you〃
The tender heart of Cochran leaped in wild tumult； he could not
conceal his delight； nor did he attempt to do so； and his expression
made it entirely unnecessary for him to assure Griswold that such a
visit would be entirely welcome and that they might count on finding
him at home。 As though it were an afterthought； Griswold halted at
the door and said：
〃I believe you are already acquainted with Miss Proctor。〃
Cochran； conscious of five years of devotion； found that