Almost distracted with his trouble, the young man returned to Violet who was still suffering from the effects of her last night's shock and excitement. He was surprised to find Ronald Valchester in the drawing-room with his sister--Ronald, looking pale and ill, with his right arm carried in a sling. "Ronald--you here!" he cried. "How glad I am to see you! When did you arrive?" "Last night," said Ronald briefly. "You changed your mind about coming to my marriage, did you not?" Ronald smiled and did not reply. "Oh, Ronald, is it not terrible?" cried Walter. "My poor little Lina. Her beautiful voice and her beautiful face ruined forever!" "Her life is spared, at least," Ronald answered, in a low, grateful voice. "If I had been Lina I would rather have died than have lost my voice and my beauty," cried Violet. "She will have nothing left to live for now." "She will have Walter's love," said Ronald Valchester gravely, and Violet saw that he was regarding her with a slight air of surprise. "Oh, yes, I had forgotten that," she said quickly. "But it is dreadful for Walter. He is such a beauty-worshiper, and he thought Lina the most beautiful girl he ever saw." Walter changed the conversation quickly by asking Ronald what was wrong with his arm that he wore it in a sling, and his friend replied briefly that he had been hurt by a slight accident. That was all the explanation he volunteered. CHAPTER XXXVIII. The day came when Jaquelina was well enough to sit up in her darkened chamber again. Then they sent word to Violet Earle that she might come to see her one day and Walter the next. Ronald Valchester had gone back to Richmond on the same day that he had heard that Jaquelina would live. Violet had fretted about him continually. She had never been quite well since the night of the fire. The terrible shock had wakened her nerves, and her heart. She was anxious to go back to Laurel Hill, but Walter would not hear of such a thing yet. "Not until Lina is better," he urged. "When she is well enough to travel we will be quietly married, and then we will take her back to Laurel Hill with us." Violet grew very impatient in the weary weeks of waiting. She fancied she would see Ronald oftener if she were only back in Virginia. He wrote to her sometimes--simple, friendly notes such as he had written her from abroad two years before, but he had never asked her to name the wedding-day yet. She was very glad when they sent her word that Jaquelina was well enough to receive a visit from her. "They should have given me the first chance of paying her a visit," complained Walter. He did not know that Jaquelina had purposely planned it so. She wished that Violet would break to him the news of her changed appearance before he saw her himself.