hat "he" was of such interest to Marcia that he should send her
telegrams announcing his return home, or his failure to come? And why
should this person, whoever he might be, also telegraph Ydo? His thoughts
reverted involuntarily to the gray-haired man "that ordinary, middle-aged
person," who had accompanied her the night she had dined at the
Gildersleeve, the night that he, Hayden, had returned to her her silver
butterfly. Who was this shadowy creature, a sinister and skulking figure
always in the background? Doubts and fears assailed him. He suffered a
hades of suspicion, a momentary and temporary hades--and then, he looked
at Marcia. She was talking across the table to Horace Penfield, and
Hayden noted the purely drawn oval of her face, the sensitive, delicate
mouth, the sweet, wistful eyes, and all the incipient doubts which had
made such an onrush upon his consciousness vanished, were routed and put
to flight, and Marcia looked up to meet his gaze and suddenly, shyly,
sweetly blushed. Again the world was his and his heart was flooded with
sunshine.

Mrs. Ames, well-pleased with the notice her party had attracted, was
complacently arranging her bracelets preparatory to rising, when her eye
was evidently caught by the iridescent sheen of Marcia's butterflies. She
held up her glasses, the better to view them.

"There is no manner of doubt about it, Miss Oldham," she said in a rather
dry and grudging fashion, "that your butterflies are exquisite. I'm a
judge of jewels. I know. What's the reason, Miss Gipsy, that you haven't
a set? Not economy, I warrant."

Ydo glanced at her from under her eyes, a slow, audacious smile forming
about her lips, "I mean to have a set," she said composedly, "but I want
mine copied from one Mr. Hayden has in his collection."

Marcia turned surprised eyes on Hayden. "I did not know that you were a
collector of butterflies," she said.

"Oh, he is so modest!" Ydo's laughter rang out like a chime of bells,
full of elfin malice. "But I am going to tell you a secret. He is the
distinguished discoverer of a rare and wonderful specimen of almost
fabulous value. A specimen which collectors have supposed to be quite
extinct."

Marcia's eyes were as round as saucers, and Mrs. Ames was surveying her
unexpectedly distinguished guest with a respectful surprise of which
Robert would never have dreamed her capable.

"Why have you never mentioned it to me?" cried Marcia, and there was
reproach in h