"I know what you are thinking," she said. "But you are wrong--quite wrong. There is nothing left between Eliot Coventry and me--nothing--except remembrance. And for the sake of that remembrance--for the sake of what was, though it has been, dead these many years--I have done what I have done." The question died out of Ann's eyes--answered once and for ever, and Cara stifled a sigh of relief as she watched the faint colour steal back into the girl's cheeks. "I don't know how I could have thought you still cared," said Ann presently. "It was silly of me--when you are going to marry Robin." "Yes. Robin and I are going to start a new life together. He knows--what happened--years ago. And he understands. I hope"--forcing herself to speak more lightly--"I hope he won't be too shocked at my flight to the yacht last night to marry me after all!" Ann laughed. "I don't think you need be afraid," she answered affectionately. "But Eliot!" She paused in consternation, then went on quickly: "What did he think when he found you there, Cara? Do you know what he thought?" Cara's expression hardened a little. "Yes, I know," she said shortly. "And I can guess," returned Ann. She sprang up from her chair with all her old characteristic impetuosity. "And he's not going to think--that--a moment longer. I suppose"--her voice seemed to glow and the eyes she bent on Cara were wonderfully tender--"I suppose you wouldn't explain because you wanted to keep me out of it?" Then, as Cara nodded assent: "I thought so! Well, I'm not going to be kept out of it. I'm going straight across to Heronsmere--now, at once--to tell Eliot the whole truth." She swept Cara's protest royally aside, and within a few minutes Cara herself was on her way home and Billy Brewster flinging the harness on the pony's back at unprecedented speed. But Dick Turpin was spared the necessity of making the whirlwind rush to Heronsmere which loomed ahead of him, by the opportune appearance of Eliot himself at the Cottage gate. Ann drew him quickly into the house. "I was just coming over to see you," she told him swiftly. "It's--it's about last night." His face darkened. "About last night?" he repeated. "What about it?" "You found--Cara--on board Brett's yacht." "I did--and drew my own conclusions." "Well, they were wrong ones," said Ann. Then, seeing that he looked quite unconvinced, she went on quickly lest her courage should fail her. "If it had not been for Cara, you would have found me there--" "You? Then it's true--true you actually intended going there? Bradley was right?"