She smiled, and went on busying herself about the room. The fire light showed all her height and the fine contour of well-developed limbs. Every movement was full of grace, he said. Gabrielle Silvester could have taken her place in any society in Europe. For an instant, he thought of her as the bejewelled hostess of a Fifth Avenue mansion, and that thought returned later on. "It is good to hear you," she said with a light laugh. "Everyone who comes to a sick house seems to think it necessary to speak in a morbid whisper. They expect to look sorrow in the face on the doorstep. Of course, she has been very ill--dangerously ill, I think. Our bringing her to England was a very great mistake; even father knows that now." "Then she isn't very happy here?" "Very far from it. Did she say anything of it to you?" "Why, yes; she asked me to take her away by the next train." "I thought she would; was it back to Italy?" "No; to Paris--and what's more, she wants Harry Lassett to be of the party." He thought it necessary to tell her this: he had debated it while sitting there and watching her graceful movements about the room. His own act had committed Maryska to her charge; his own words must warn her of a possible danger. Upon her part, however, the whole thing was treated without concern, merely as the odd whim of a capricious child who was sick. She surprised him very much by her attitude. "Harry amuses her," she said without turning, "he can be so atrociously vulgar. An accomplishment, is it not, when it brings a little sunshine? They have been the best of friends, and he comes here every day with some present or other for her. It is all quite pretty, and I am very grateful to him." "Then you would approve of his coming on my yacht?" "If he could go, yes; but I know that it is quite impossible. He has developed a surprising interest in his business; he is in town every day. It's really most wonderful!" "May I ask what his business is, by the way?" She looked a little pained. "He gets money from the people who sell stocks and shares--the jobbers, don't you call them?" "That's the name, to be sure. So he goes down to the city to watch them making money for him. It's a joyous employment, sure; it won't make him bald!" Gabrielle did not like the tone of this at all, she bridled instantly. "I dare say that Mr. Lassett is very well content with it. Don't you think that we might be?" "Why, certainly, I do. That's just what was in my thoughts just now. If he's so well occupied in London, he won't mind your taking a little holiday with me----!" "With you! How odd it sounds!" "Odd, or even; I mean every word of it. Will you come to Florida on the _Savannah_?"