ick up a few nags, cheap."

"I'll think it over," said Banneker, as he had said to old Poultney
Masters.

Not until after the dinner did Banneker remind his host of their
understanding. "You haven't forgotten that I'm here on business?"

"No; I haven't. I'm going to answer your question for publication. Mrs.
Eyre has not the slightest intention of suing for divorce."

"About the separation?"

"No. No separation, either. Io is traveling with friends and will be
back in a few months."

"That is authoritative?"

"You can quote me, if you like, though I'd rather nothing were
published, of course. And I give you my personal word that it's true."

"That's quite enough."

"So much for publication. What follows is private: just between you and
me."

Banneker nodded. After a ruminative pause Densmore asked an abrupt
question.

"You found my sister after the wreck, didn't you?"

"Well; she found me."

"Was she hurt?"

"Yes."

"Badly?"

"I think not. There was some concussion of the brain, I suppose. She was
quite dazed."

"Did you call a doctor?"

"No. She wouldn't have one."

"You know Miss Van Arsdale, don't you?"

"She's the best friend I've got in the world," returned Banneker, so
impulsively that his interrogator looked at him curiously before
continuing:

"Did you see Io at her house?"

"Yes; frequently," replied Banneker, wondering to what this all tended,
but resolved to be as frank as was compatible with discretion.

"How did she seem?"

"She was as well off there as she could be anywhere."

"Yes. But how did she seem? Mentally, I mean."

"Oh, that! The dazed condition cleared up at once."

"I wish I were sure that it had ever cleared up," muttered Densmore.

"Why shouldn't you be sure?"

"I'm going to be frank with you because I think you may be able to help
me with a clue. Since she came back from the West, Io has been unlike
herself. The family has never understood her marriage with Del Eyre. She
didn't really care for Del. [To his dismay, Banneker here beheld the
glowing tip of his cigar perform sundry involuntary dips and curves. He
hoped that his face was under better control.] The marriage was a
fizzle. I don't believe it lasted a month, really. Eyre had always been
a chaser, though he did straighten out when he married Io. He really was
crazy about her; but when she chucked him, he went back to his old
hunting grounds. One can understand that. But Io; that's different.
Sh