"
He went out, closing the door.
"I can't make this out, Hugh," Kelson said, pulling himself together and
moving to the opposite side of the room.
"No," Gifford responded mechanically.
"He," Kelson continued, "certainly did not give one the idea of a man who
had come down here to make away with himself."
"On the contrary," his friend murmured in the same preoccupied tone.
"What do you think? How can you account for it?" Kelson demanded, as
appealing to the other's greater knowledge of the world.
It seemed to be with an effort that Gifford released himself from the
fascination that held his gaze to the tragedy. "It is an absolute
mystery," he replied, moving to where his friend stood.
"A woman in it?"
For a moment Gifford did not answer. Then he said, "No doubt about it, I
should imagine."
"It's awful," Kelson said, driven, perhaps for the first time in his
life, from his habitually casual way of regarding serious things, and
maybe roused by Gifford's apathy. "We didn't like--the man did not appeal
to us; but to die like this. It's horrible. And I dare say it happened
while the dance was in full swing down there.
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