Evilena, even, disposed to look on him
as dead and buried so far as she was concerned), felt his loyal heart
go out to Gertrude, who was the only one of them all who frankly
approved, and who was plainly distressed at the idea of him going at
once to join his company.

"Don't go, Phil," she said, earnestly; "something is wrong here--terribly
wrong; I can't accuse anyone in particular--I can't even guess what it
really means, but, Phil," and she glanced around her cautiously before
putting the question, "What possible reason could Madame Caron and
Captain Monroe have for pretending they met here as strangers, when it
was not a fact?"

Whereupon Gertrude told him of her discovery in that direction.

"I can't, of course, mention it to Kenneth or Mrs. McVeigh, now," she
whispered; "they are so infatuated with her, Kenneth in particular.
But I do hope you will put aside your personal feelings; make any and
every sort of apology necessary, but remain right here until you see
what it all means. You may prove in the end that you were not entirely
mistaken today. What do you think of it?"

Think! His thoughts were in a whirl. If Madame Caron and Captain
Monroe were secretly friends it altered the whole affair. Monroe,
whose conduct on arrest was unusual; who had a parole which might, or
might not, be genuine; who had come there as by accident just in time
to meet Pierson; who had been in the room alone with Pierson before
Madame Caron came down the stairs--he knew, for he had been in sight
when she crossed the hall.

He had been a fool--right in theory, but wrong as to the individual.
He would remain at the Terrace, and he would start on a new trail!

Mrs. McVeigh was very glad he would remain; she believed implicitly in
his profound regret, and had dreaded lest the question be recalled
between the two men after they had gone to the front; but, if Phil
remained their guest, she hoped the old social relations would be
completely restored, and she warned Evilena to be less outspoken in
regard to her own opinions.

So, Captain Masterson remained, and remained to such purpose that
during the brief hour of Mr. Pierson's stay he was watched very
closely, and the watcher was disappointed that no attempt was made at
a private interview with Captain Monroe, who very plainly (Masterson
thought, ostentatiously) showed himself in a rather unsocial mood,
walking thoughtfully alone on the lawn, and making no attempt to
speak, even wi