He stared at her, then his eyes roamed restlessly: "How?" "I don't know, Langly.... But if there is anything you could do----" "What? My aunt and the papers are determined that I shall marry her! I take it that you are not suggesting that, are you?" "I am suggesting nothing," she replied in a low voice. "Well, _I_ am. I'm suggesting that you and Molly and I go aboard the _Yulan_ and clear out to-night!" "You mean--to announce our engagement first?" "Just as you choose," he said without a shade of expression on his features. "You would scarcely propose that I sail with you under any other circumstances," she said sharply. "I leave it to you and Mrs. Wycherly. The main idea is to clear out and let them howl and tear things up." "Howl at Mrs. Ledwith and tear her to tatters while we start around the world on the _Yulan_?" nodded Strelsa. She was rather white, but she laughed; and he, hearing her, turned and laughed, too--a quick bark of a laugh that startled both horses who were unaccustomed to it. "Oh, I guess they won't put her out of business," he said. "She's young and handsome and there are plenty of her sort to marry her--even Dankmere would have a chance there or--" he hesitated, and decided to refrain. But she understood perfectly, and lost the remainder of her colour. "You mean Mr. Quarren," she said coolly. "I didn't," he replied, lying. And she was aware of his falsehood, too. "What started those rumours about Mrs. Ledwith and you, Langly?" she asked in the same pleasantly even tone, and turned her horse's head toward home at the same time. He made his mount pivot showily on his hocks and drew bridle beside her. "Oh, they started at Newport." "How?" "How do I know? Ledwith and I were connected in business matters; I saw more or less of them both--and he was too busy to be with his wife every time I happened to be with her. So--you know what they said." "Yes. When you and she were lunching at different tables at the Santa Regina you used to write notes to her, and everybody saw you." "What of it?" "Nothing." "That is just it; there was nothing in it." "Except her reputation.... What a silly and careless girl! But a man doesn't think--doesn't care very much I fancy. And then everybody was offensively sorry for Chester Ledwith. But that was not your lookout, was it, Langly?" Sprowl turned his narrow face and looked at her in silence; and after a moment misjudged her. "It was not my fault," he said quietly. "I liked his wife and I was friendly with him until his gutter habits annoyed me." "He went to pieces, didn't he?" Once more Sprowl inspected her features, warily. Once more he misjudged her. "He's gone to smash," he said--"but what's that to us?"