"Well, Traverse, I promised not to speak of it, but I do not think she will mind if I tell you." Mr. Sherwood did not notice how eagerly Guy waited for the next words, for he was studying his next move and seemed to have forgotten what he was about to communicate. "If Miss Dexie does not wish the matter spoken of, you may rely on my discretion," Guy remarked, as a reminder. "To be sure; well, the fact is, she has broken off the engagement, if there was any, between herself and that young Englishman. I daresay you may have heard us speaking of him, and he is soon to be married to a lady from his own country; that leaves her free, contrary to Dame Rumor." "Is it possible! And Miss Dexie--" "Is as happy as a lark; do not extend your sympathy, Traverse, or you will find it much misplaced." If Dexie had guessed that the very one she had hoped to keep in ignorance was the first one to be told the facts of the case, she would never have parted with her _news_, even to her father. Guy's heart bounded with hope and joy as he heard it, yet his happiness was still overshadowed by the thought of that ring. There was something more yet to learn. "I expect the rumor of her engagement is due to the fact that she wears a beautiful ring lately, the ring and the rumor go together, I expect," and he looked keenly into Mr. Sherwood's face, as if to read any unexpressed thoughts on the matter. "Oh! she wears a new ring, does she? That's nothing, Traverse; most young ladies are fond of jewelry, you know. There is nothing in it, depend upon it, for if the ring had come from the other one I would have known it at once--there! lost again, Traverse; I don't believe you are in a playing humor to-night." "Is there anyone likely to come between Miss Dexie and this young Englishman, anyone who may have sent her the ring, Mr. Sherwood? You spoke just now as if there was." "Well, there _is_ one who would like to bestow his hand and fortune on her, but she will have none of it; surely it can't be that she has changed her mind, after all," and Mr. Sherwood laid down his chessman to consider this new phase of the question. Could it be that the ring was from Hugh, and she not tell of it? The game lost its interest with this new thought, and hearing the sound of the piano through the walls, he said: "Suppose you wheel me into the sitting-room; I hear Dexie at the piano." The music suddenly ceased as the door opened, and Guy pushed Mr. Sherwood's couch into the room. "It is too bad to waste that sweet music on bare walls, Miss Dexie," said Guy smiling, "so I have brought an audience. Go on with what you were playing; the little I heard was very beautiful, so do not let us interrupt you. I am told that I am not a very good judge of music, but I know that the piece you were just playing was something finer than most piano pieces," for he had recognized it as the same piece she had played when he had listened through the window, and it had ended in tears.