position there
impossible. They gave me a new point of view on myself--on you. I
guess it was an American point of view. What had seemed right before
did not seem right then."

"Is that why you resumed your maiden name?"

"That is why. But sooner or later Peter will know the truth, won't he?"

"How will he know?"

"The name you signed on the register."

"That's so, too," Monte admitted. "But that says only 'Madame
Covington.' Madame Covington might be any one."

He smiled, but his lips were tense.

"She may have been called home unexpectedly."

The girl hid her face in her hands. He rose and stepped to her side.

"There, there," he said gently. "Don't worry about that. There is no
reason why they should ever associate you with her. If they make any
inquiries of me about madame, I'll just say she has gone away for a
little while--perhaps for a week or two. Is that right?"

"I--I don't know."

"Nothing unusual about that. Wives are always going away. Even Chic's
wife goes away every now and then. As for you, little woman, I think
you did the only thing possible. I met that Peter Noyes this morning."

Startled, she raised her face from her hands.

"You met--Peter Noyes?" she asked slowly.

"Quite by chance. He was on his way to walk, and I took him with me.
He's a wonderful fellow, Marjory."

"You talked with him?"

He nodded.

"He takes life mighty seriously."

"Too seriously, Monte," she returned.

"It's what made him blind; and yet--there 's something worth while
about a man who gets into the game that way. Hanged if he did n't
leave me feeling uncomfortable."

She looked worried.

"How, Monte?"

"Oh, as though I ought to be doing something instead of just kicking
around the Continent. Do you know I had a notion of studying law at
one time?"

"But there was no need of it, was there?"

"Not in one way. Only, I suppose I could have made myself useful
somewhere, even if I did n't have to earn a living. Maybe there's a
use for every one--somewhere."

He had left her side, and was staring out the window toward the ocean.
She watched him anxiously. She had never seen him like this, and yet,
in a way, this was the same Monte in whose eyes she had caught a
glimpse of the wonderful bright light. It was the man who had leaned
toward her as they walked on the shore the night before they reached
Nice--a gallant prince of the fairy-books, ready to step into real life
and be a