, glowering at her. "I like that! I
never said anything of the kind, and it isn't true, anyway!"

"What does it matter?" Willa asked wearily. "I will not be shamed by
being spied upon by servants. Am I to be trusted on my word of honor
that I am doing nothing wrong, or shall I go away?"

"Certainly not, my dear girl." Ripley Halstead rose and held out his
hand. "I'll apologize, if my wife does not, for the trick that was
attempted to-day. We will trust you absolutely, but I should like to
have your assurance that if you find yourself in any difficulty you
will come to either Mr. North or me."

"I'll gladly promise that." Willa turned hesitatingly toward Mrs.
Halstead. "I am really very sorry if I have been insolent, but Liane's
behavior this afternoon aroused all my fighting blood."

Mrs. Halstead kissed her coldly.

"I hope you realize that I thought I was doing only my duty. There is
one question I must ask you, though, and since you refuse to discuss
this with me privately you must take the consequences. In justice to
yourself I will say that I do not believe you capable of carrying on a
vulgar flirtation or intrigue, but remember we knew practically nothing
of you when we took you into our home. If you are interested in
anyone, if you are secretly engaged, you should tell us and your fiance
must present himself here. Willa, is there a man in the case?"

The girl smiled slowly and gazed off into space. Watching her, Mason
North drew a deep breath, for into her changing expression there came a
look of implacable, passionless vengeance which made her for the moment
the personification of Fate.

"Yes," she said at last. "There is a man in the case, Cousin Irene,
but not as you imagine. I have not seen him since I left Mexico and
personally he is nothing to me; in fact, I scarcely know him, as you
count knowing a person. I have a little matter of business to settle
with him, that is all."

Mrs. Halstead sighed and turned to the door as the butler appeared.

"What is it, Welsh?"

"A gentleman, Madam." He extended the salver.

Mrs. Halstead glanced at the card and then quickly toward her daughter,
and her face broke into an exultant smile.

"Of course, we are at home!" Then, as Welsh withdrew. "Fancy, we did
not even know he had returned! It's Starr Wiley!"

CHAPTER XI

A CHANGE OF FRONT

The following morning, Willa and Dan Morrissey went motor shopping.
The latter was still s