"Go? I should think so. She is as well as ever she was in her life--laughing and talking, as different from the timid little crushed thing she was, as you are different from Gaunt! While she was away, he has had her own sitting-room all done up for her, and my word! he has done it in style. You never saw anything so classy; it's like the little boudoir at the Chase; and she says he never bought a thing, except the carpet and curtains. The furniture and china was all in the house, put away, and they've got enough left to furnish the dining-room as well. My, it'll be a nice place by the time she's done with it." "Joey, I give you my word, that on Saturday she was in bed, delirious, and her mother sat up all night with her." "That might be. Look how Bill's temperature runs up if he gets a bit of a chill! She was all right by Wednesday, and now she's as fit as a fiddle. Seems so keen about things too. Got a great idea of going over the mine. I thought we might have 'em both to lunch next week, and take them round after." "Good idea. But have you forgotten that Rosenberg will be staying here?" "Not me. That doesn't make a bit of difference. She was talking about him as easily as you might talk about me. Tell you what, Percy, you've got the wrong sow by the ear this time." "If there's been a mistake, it was Rosenberg's, not mine," said Ferris. "You may bet on that. Seems to me he's about put himself in the cart." "Why, how? What do you mean?" Ferris laughed. "He insisted on laying me fifty sovereigns to one that she never went back to Gaunt. I told him he didn't know O.G. as well as I do." "Pooh! He didn't know Virgie, much more likely. She's still water, is that little lady." "Huh? You don't mean she's not straight?" "Not much. She's the straightest goer I ever came across. But she doesn't wear her heart on her sleeve." "I don't know where she keeps it then," said Percy, with a grin. "You don't suppose old Gaunt's got it, do you?" "Couldn't tell you that, but one thing I _can_ say for certain. It doesn't belong to young Rosenberg." "Are you sure, Joey?" "Yes," said she simply. "I can go pretty near the truth of it, I expect," she added presently. "Rosenberg tried to make mischief, and it hasn't come off." "He told me Gaunt was cruel to her--actually tortured her," said Percy, in a lowered voice. "Said she let it out in her delirium." "Go and tell that to the next one," scorned his wife. "If it's true, then being tortured agrees with her." "You can't deny she was very ill when she first came here." "Yes, but that was none of Gaunt's doing. That was because she had been starving herself and doing all the housework for the best part of two years." "Well, I'll have to try and explain matters to Rosenberg when he comes next week," said Percy, quite meek and crestfallen. * * * * *