"Who was your visitor?" she inquired, having waited in the dining-room for the purpose. "A man named Winchester--a private detective," said Jimmy. "Oh, my dear!" exclaimed Sybil, "how sincerely I wish you would let Miss Rosser go her own way!" "Haven't I succeeded yet," demanded Jimmy, "in making you understand that her way will always be mine?" "And yet you know how horridly she treated poor Colonel Faversham, Jimmy. You have always insisted on truth and honesty before anything----" "Now I only insist," said Jimmy, "that Bridget shall become my wife." At this Sybil grew reckless. "Jimmy," she cried, "it is really quite impossible." "Why?" he demanded. "My dear, I scarcely like to say the words, but she knew Mark Driver long before she knew you." "Well, I hope she will see a good deal of old Mark in the future also," answered Jimmy. "You force me to break my word," said Sybil, with considerable emotion. "Carrissima will never forgive me. I am sure she won't. But I really cannot keep silence while you go to destruction. I really can't. I promised I would never breathe a syllable----" "Would you mind," urged Jimmy, "breathing it quickly!" "There has been an--an understanding between Miss Rosser and Mark from the very first," said Sybil. "Oh, you mustn't talk foolishness," returned Jimmy. "Carrissima saw them----" "What in the world did she see?" "She happened to go to Golfney Place unexpectedly the afternoon before Miss Rosser left," Sybil explained. "She saw the girl in--in Mark's arms. Jimmy, he was kissing her; actually kissing her, and all the time she must have been engaged to Colonel Faversham." "Nonsense," said Jimmy; "I don't believe a word of it." "Do you imagine that Carrissima could possibly tell me an untruth?" demanded Sybil. "She was half beside herself when I met her, or she would never have said a word." "Now," suggested Jimmy, "you have hit the explanation. Carrissima was beside herself. Of course," he added, "I shall clear the matter up, but I tell you, to begin with, I don't believe a word of it." "How Carrissima managed to carry it off," said Sybil, "seems wonderful to me." "A wonderful story altogether," returned Jimmy. "Neither Mark nor--nor his companion had the slightest idea they were discovered," said Sybil. "Oh, then Carrissima didn't tackle the fellow!" "How could she?" asked Sybil. "You see, she had no actual right to complain! Mark Driver, I dare say, would consider himself free to--to kiss any woman he pleased." "Anyhow," said Jimmy, with all the assurance in the world, "he didn't kiss Bridget." "Oh, how can you be so blind!" exclaimed his sister. "When other people see so much," he answered, "what can be more desirable?" "Well," said Sybil, with tears in her eyes, "I have told you what Carrissima saw, and naturally she drew her own conclusions." "What were they?" asked Jimmy, thrusting his hands deep in his jacket pockets.