Little by little the companionship grew. Corthell shut his eyes, his ears. The thought of Laura, the recollection of their last evening together, the anticipation of the next meeting filled all his waking hours. He refused to think; he resigned himself to the drift of the current. Jadwin he rarely saw. But on those few occasions when he and Laura’s husband met, he could detect no lack of cordiality in the other’s greeting. Once even Jadwin had remarked:

“I’m very glad you have come to see Mrs. Jadwin, Corthell. I have to be away so much these days, I’m afraid she would be lonesome if it wasn’t for someone like you to drop in now and then and talk art to her.”