The Nun's face was towards the street, Jack's back towards it. The garden gate was open. "Hush!" said the Nun softly. "Here comes Vivien!" Poor old Jack was no diplomatist. He sprang to his feet, red as a turkey cock, and turned round to find Vivien at his elbow. "I--I beg your pardon, miss," he stammered, rushing at the conclusion that she had overheard. Vivien looked at him in amused surprise. "But what's the matter, Mr. Rock? Why, I believe you must have been talking about me!" She looked at the Nun. "Was he?" she asked merrily. "I don't know that it's much good trying to deny it, is it, Jack?" Jack was terribly ashamed of himself. "It wasn't my place to do it. I beg your pardon, miss." He stooped and picked up his hat, which he had taken off and laid on the ground by him. "Miss Flower's too kind to me, miss. She makes me forget my place--and my manners." Vivien held out her hand to him; she was grave now. "But we're all so fond of you, Mr. Rock. And I'm sure you weren't saying anything unkind about me. Was he, Doris?" Jack took her hand. "It wasn't my place to do it. I ask your pardon." Then he turned to the Nun. "You'll excuse me, miss?" The Nun smiled radiantly at him. "I hate your going, Jack. Perhaps you'd better, though. Only don't be unhappy. There's no harm done, you know." Jack shook his head again sadly, then put his hat on it with a rueful air. He regarded Vivien for a moment with a ponderous sorrow, lifted his hat again, shook his head again, and walked out of the garden. The Nun gave a short gurgle, and then regained a serene and silent composure. It was most certainly a case for allowing the other side to take first innings! Vivien sat down in the seat that Jack had vacated in such sad confusion. "It was about--Harry?" she asked slowly. "You all hear and know! I hear nothing, I know nothing. Nobody mentions him to me. Not Andy, not my father any more. Mr. Belfield said a word or two once--not happy words. Except for that--well, he might be dead! I don't see the use of treating me like that. I think I've a right to know." "What Jack said was more about you really. There's no fresh news about Harry." While saying these words, the Nun allowed her look at Vivien to be very direct. "You must accept that as final," the look seemed to say. "Lots of men, good men, make a mistake, one mistake, about things like that. He'll be all right now--with his boy." "He's had a love affair, repented of it--and probably started another since that event. The child, if I remember, is about five months old." Still with her gaze direct, the Nun laughed. Vivien flushed. "There's no other way to take it," the Nun assured her. Vivien spoke low; her cheeks red, her eyes dim. "I gave him all my heart, oh, so readily--and such trust! Doris, did he ever make love to you?" "As a general rule I don't tell tales. In this case I feel free to say that he did." Vivien's smile was woeful. "What, he wanted to marry you too once?"