up and down upon her finger, testing it. It was as if
he waited for something.

She endured his action for a few seconds, then with a deliberate movement
she took her hand away.

"Thank you very much," she said conventionally. "I wonder what made you
think of a sapphire."

"You like sapphires?" he questioned.

"Of course," she returned. Her tone was resolutely indifferent, yet
something in his look made her avert her eyes abruptly. She turned them
upon the ring. "Why did you choose a sapphire?" she said.

If she expected some compliment in reply she was disappointed. He stood
in silence.

Half-startled she glanced at him. In the same moment he held out his hand
to her with a formal gesture of leave-taking.

"I will tell you another time," he said. "Good night!"

She gave him her hand, but he scarcely held it. The next instant, with a
brief bow, he had turned and left her.

CHAPTER IV

Burleigh Wentworth looked around him with a frown of discontent.

He ought to have been in good spirits. Life on the moors suited him. The
shooting was excellent, the hospitality beyond reproach. But yet he was
not satisfied. People had wholly ceased to eye him askance. He had come
himself to look back upon his trial as a mere escapade. It had been an
unpleasant experience. He had been a fool to run such a risk. But it was
over, and he had come out with flying colours, thanks to Percival Field's
genius. A baffling, unapproachable sort of man--Field! The affair of his
marriage was still a marvel to Wentworth. He had a strong suspicion that
there was more in the conquest than met the eye, but he knew he would
never find out from Field.

Violet was getting enigmatical too, but he couldn't stand that. He would
put a stop to it. She might be a married woman, but she needn't imagine
she was going to keep him at a distance.

She and her husband had joined the house-party of which he was a member
the day before. It was the end of their honeymoon, and they were
returning to town after their sojourn on the moors. He grimaced to
himself at the thought. How would Violet like town in September? He had
asked her that question the previous night, but she had not deigned to
hear. Decidedly, Violet was becoming interesting. He would have to
penetrate that reserve of hers.

He wondered why she was not carrying a gun. She had always been such an
ardent sportswoman. He would ask her that also presently. In fact, he
felt inclined to g