Rollie, greatly relieved at this softening in Marien’s mood at the very point where he had feared she might actually leap on him and throttle him, retold the story, only being careful to omit all reference as to why he chanced to be visiting Doctor Hampstead’s box, and why Doctor Hampstead happened to come into his office so that he might pick up the key, as he did. "What an odd coincidence!" commented Marien, when the recital was finished. Actually, she was laughing. Rollie’s heart went out to her completely. He felt a sting of self-reproach at the harshness of his judgment of her, and was sensible of a new charity growing in his life for all mankind. It was really going to be made easy for him to take "the way up." He felt like singing a little psalm of thanksgiving. "And the minister has no idea that the diamonds are in his vault?" that mercurial lady inquired, with a chuckle. "Not the least in the world," assured Rollie, anxious to relieve his benefactor of any slightest odium of indiscretion. "And when did you say Doctor Hampstead was expected home from San Francisco?" Miss Dounay had stopped laughing and had an intent look, as if desiring to understand something very clearly. "Perhaps the last boat to-night—possibly not till to-morrow morning." "Then there is no way of getting the jewels until to-morrow morning?" "None at all," confessed Rollie. "But as a matter of fact, they are perfectly safe there—safer than they are in your own apartment." "So I should say," Miss Dounay observed dryly, "unless I revise my guest list." Rollie flushed. "That was coming to me," he confessed, frowning at himself. "That and much more." His tone was serious and full of bitter self-reproach. Miss Dounay’s surprisingly indulgent attitude emboldened him to pursue the disagreeable subject farther. "I have not told you," he went on, "that I came to ask you for mercy." "Do you not perceive that you are getting it without asking?" the actress replied, with a liquid glance that was really full of gentleness and sympathy. "Of course," Rollie averred. "But I am so grateful that I did not want you to think I could take it for granted. I was in a terrible position, Miss Dounay. The crime was not accidental, but deliberate; that it miscarried was the accident. But that your diamonds are to be restored to you, and that I myself am on my way to a sort of character restoration, if I ever had any, which I begin to doubt, is all due to one good friend whom I saw to-day, and who is also a good friend of yours." Again Rollie was interrupted; but this time there was nothing intangible about it.