Lucie gave her head, an indignant toss. “I think you are too horrid for words,” she cried. “I shall not stay any longer. I will go to Odette, and you two can keep your old secrets.” She flounced out of the room, leaving Victor and Paulette laughing and whispering together. However, she could not long keep out of humor with Victor; he was too full of his jokes, in too rollicking a mood to be withstood, but Lucie would not ask him another word about the secret, though she listened to his plans for holiday making. It was only after he had gone that she questioned Paulette. “I think I should see my father’s letter,” she remarked with dignity. Paulette smiled, lifted her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. “But no, my child. I promised Monsieur Victor that I would not show it.” “Then it must have some very unpleasant word in it.” “On the contrary.” “Of course that Victor likes to tease, but I did not think you, Paulette, would be unkind to your Lucie.” Paulette’s sly look of amusement vanished. “I, unkind? I would not be that, my pigeon. Now, what would you? I promise monsieur that I will not tell because he wishes to give you a pleasant surprise. I can say so much, a very pleasant surprise. He is a good lad. Will you then deprive him of this satisfaction, when he has done so much for us? He is quite excited over this, and would be greatly disappointed if I revealed the secret.” Lucie sighed. “Very well, then, I will not insist. But can you tell how soon I am to know?” “Let me see. To-morrow we pack. We also go to this meal at the restaurant. That is enough for the day. I think by the day after we may begin our journey. At the end of the journey you will know.” “Two days, two whole days. Well, there will be so much going on that I will have no time to sit and think about it, there is that to say. We must say good-by to Miss Lowndes. I wonder, by the way, if she knows?” “Perhaps. I will ask Monsieur Victor.” Victor satisfied them on this point when he appeared the next morning. Yes, he had seen Mlle. Lowndes, a charming young lady. He liked blue eyes. He made the last remark with a sly glance at Lucie. “I suppose that is because you have blue eyes yourself,” she retorted. “Perhaps. I do not know,” he returned serenely. “And I suppose you let her into the secret.” “It was what your father asked that I should do. He did not wish her to concern herself about your affairs any longer than was necessary. He knew that she would go to any amount of pains to relieve your situation, but happily she turned all this over to me, your humble Victor.” “Humble!” scoffed Lucie, and Victor laughed.