William straightened himself. “I didn’t know that.” She was startled. She had not thought that he would take it in this way. Everything led them into the shoals, it seemed. She smiled, but her lips shook. “I don’t think any one knew it but Dan,” she replied gently. “Dan helped us save it.” “Dan?” He turned and looked at her, plainly startled, too, by another thought. “Dan?” She met his look steadily this time. “Yes, Dan. He’s so good to us. I think he’s very noble.” William stared at her, paling again. A kind of fury came into his look, and she saw it. He was jealous of Dan! She understood now. That poor girl, his wife, had been a wild fancy, an episode, no more, and he was waking up. She rose slowly to her feet. “Come,” she said. “I’m going in. Grandpa is there, and you must come in and see him.” She turned as she spoke, and William got to his feet, still white and haggard, his eyes following her. But Virginia stopped abruptly. Before them on the lawn, unheard and unseen in her approach, stood a small, white-clad figure in a daring scarlet hat, pale and piquant. “I don’t think you heard me,” said Fanchon softly, her dark eyes flashing from one to the other. “You weren’t listening!” And she laughed shrilly. William crimsoned, but Virginia was calm. “No, we didn’t,” she replied simply; “but I’m glad to see you. We were just going into the house--will you come, too?” Fanchon lifted her fawn-like eyes slowly to the other girl’s face. There was something noble in it, too noble for the retort that was on the end of her sharp tongue. She colored angrily. “Of course! I came to call,” she said lightly. “William got ahead of me, I see.” Virginia did not reply to this. She was already at the piazza steps. “Please come this way,” she said lightly. But Fanchon did not answer her. She had approached her husband, her large eyes mocking him, her lips parted. A strange look, half elfish, half fond, was on her face. “You needn’t be in such a hurry to hide that ring,” she said below her breath. “I know about it. There was one letter you forgot to burn, _mon ami_!” He turned from red to white. His only comfort was Virginia’s noble, unconscious look as she led the way into the house. XI COLONEL DENBIGH accompanied his guests to the door, and, after the farewells were sufficiently prolonged to suit his old-fashioned ways, he stood on the piazza and watched them to the gate. Fanchon turned there, a small, graceful creature, and kissed her hand to him. The colonel waved. William raised his hat, and the two figures turned off into the street. As they grew smaller in the distance, Virginia came out and stood beside her grandfather. “A pretty creature,” said the colonel thoughtfully. “Claws in velvet! What do you think of her, Jinny?”