Moore, for once in his life ill at ease; and
by his side, urging him in, was Mrs. Shuster.

"How do you do?" I exclaimed, trying to look as if I had never seen
Jack's knee, and feeling as if my _toes_ were blushing.

What Jack did I don't know; but I suspect he put on a nonchalant air of
"Well, we _are_ married, anyhow!"

"I'm sorry to interrupt a conversation evidently not meant for _my_
ear," began Caspian. (Trust him always to do and say the wrong thing!)
"But I understand Mrs. Winston called at Kidd's Pines and took Miss
Moore away at a moment when both I and her father wanted her
particularly. That being the case, I thought I had better come here and
let her kind host and hostess learn the news at the same time."

"Meaning us?" I inquired, feeling dangerous.

"Meaning you and Captain Winston. The news will interest you both. It is
about two dear friends of yours, Marcel Moncourt and--his son."

"We've never had the pleasure of meeting Marcel Moncourt Junior," said
Jack.

"Oh, yes, you have, begging your pardon," said Ed. "Only you know him by
another name. By the way, may I ask, before I go further, where is
Patricia?"

"Pat's in my boudoir," I informed him airily. "She's engaged just now,
talking to Mr. Storm. He----"

"Is the person I referred to a moment ago," Caspian sliced my sentence
in two. "Marcel Moncourt Junior has good reason for taking an alias. It
was known to everybody who knew him and his father that he was a
wastrel, if not worse. Marcel Senior was a fool about him--brought him
up like a prince, and suffered the consequences. The boy spent money
like water, and was hauled out of one scrape only to fall into another.
Then came the time of my cousin old Justin Stanislaws' death. It
happened under strange circumstances; there was suggestion of foul play.
Young Marcel was in the house at the time--had arrived secretly. I know
that certain jewels disappeared mysteriously--couldn't be found
afterward--jewels that Stanislaws always kept near him because of
certain associations. Not only did they disappear, but young Marcel
disappeared, too--whether with or without them was never proved.
Stanislaws' son was alive then and protected the fellow: they'd been
friends as boys. No inquiry was made till _I_ became the heir. Then it
was too late. Marcel Junior had gone abroad and couldn't be located. It
was then it came to my knowledge that suspicion pointed to young Marcel
not only as a thief but as a m