"I shall remain away until this affair has blown over," he replied. "I can live as well in one part of the country as another, thanks to the income my father left me." He laid great stress on the last sentence; he wanted to impress her with the fact that he had plenty of money. "She must never know," he told himself, "that he had so riotously squandered the vast inheritance that had been left him, and he was standing on the verge of ruin." A marriage with the wealthy heiress would save him at the eleventh hour. "I will trust you, Pluma," he continued. "I know, you will keep your vow." The false ring of apparent candor did not deceive her; she knew it would be a case of diamond cut diamond. "That is spoken like your own generous self, Lester," she said, softly, clasping his hands in her own white, jeweled ones. "You pained me by your distrust." He saw she was anxious to get away from him, and he bit his lip with vexation; her pretty, coaxing manner did not deceive him one whit, yet he clasped his arms in a very lover-like fashion around her as he replied: "Forget that it ever existed, my darling. Where there is such ardent, passionate love, there is always more or less jealousy and fear. Do you realize I am making an alien of myself for your sweet sake? I could never refuse you a request. Your slightest will has been my law. Be kind to me, Pluma." She did try to be more than agreeable and fascinating. "I must remove all doubts from his mind," she thought. "I shall probably be Rex's wife when we meet again. Then his threats will be useless; I will scornfully deny it. He has no proofs." She talked to him so gracefully, so tenderly, at times, he was almost tempted to believe she actually cared for him more than she would admit. Still he allowed it would do no harm to keep a strict watch of her movements. "Good-bye, Pluma, dearest," he said, "I shall keep you constantly advised of my whereabouts. As soon as matters can be arranged satisfactorily, I am coming back to claim you." Another moment and she was alone, walking slowly back to the house, a very torrent of anger in her proud, defiant heart. "I must hurry matters up, delays are dangerous," she thought, walking slowly up the broad path toward the house. * * * * * Slowly the long hours of the night dragged themselves by, yet Daisy did not return to Glengrove. The hours lengthened into days, and days into weeks, still there was no trace of her to be found. Gertie's explanation readily accounted for her absence. "She preferred to leave us rather than deliver my note," she said, angrily; "and I for one am not sorry she has gone." "Rex did not mention having received it," said Bess, "when he came with Birdie to bid us good-bye."