Her words gave him time to swallow his surprise, which was quite as great as her own had been at sight of the jewels. But he guessed at once what had happened. What a trump Zélie was! A grand girl! She'd make a fine wife for someone. He'd been a clumsy ass to force these things upon her in a moment of fury against Marise; and Zélie had done exactly right. He was immensely grateful. Some day he must find a way to repay her for silently handing him a big chance--a chance that might mean a lot, which but for her thought, her generosity, he would have missed. Well, it was up to him not to miss it now! He'd been an idiot over these baubles once. He mustn't "fall down" over them again; and to let Marise guess how he'd bungled--how a girl she didn't appreciate yet had straightened matters out--would be to prove himself a priceless ass. "Thank you for saying that," he quietly replied. "I did tell you once before that I was sorry I'd thrown the jewel-cases on the floor. It was _horrid_ of me. I felt afterwards I'd been most ill-bred," vouchsafed Marise. "No. More like a bad-tempered child," said Garth. "You weren't nice to me when I tried to apologise," the girl went on. "Were you trying to apologise? Sorry! I didn't understand." "What did you think I was trying to do?" "Did you ever see a small boy take a stick, and stir up some beast in its cage at a Zoo? If you did, you'll know." Marise laughed. "What sort of a beast?" "Any sort with a sore head." "Well--to change the subject," she said rather hastily, "let's talk not about beasts, but about jewels. I've apologised. And now officially I put these valuable things into your hands." "I'd rather leave them in yours," said Garth. "But--I told you before I really couldn't keep them--in the circumstances." "Haven't the circumstances changed--just a little?" "I--don't quite see how you mean." "Don't you? In that case, I suppose they haven't. Won't _you_ change, then--enough to keep the things, as I've no use for them?" "I'm afraid I can't. You may have a use for them some day, you know." "What use? I don't seem to see Mothereen in pearls and laurel wreaths." The picture called up made them both smile. "No, but you won't--won't be bound to me for ever," Marise explained, her cheeks growing pink. "There'll be some other girl; a girl that perhaps you haven't even met, yet----" "Never on God's earth will there be a girl for me, that I haven't met." Remembrance of a girl he _had_ met darted through the mind of Marise. Zélie Marks! Was the same thought in his mind? she wondered. "Who can tell about these things?" she murmured vaguely. "Anyhow, you must please take charge of your jewels now." "But you said this morning you wouldn't like to hurt Mothereen's feelings." "What have her feelings to do with the jewels?" "Just this. She's been keeping them for the great day--the day of our coming. She knows they were my wedding present to you----"