table and the vase "the sort of thing a woman likes ... So these women
are coming again to-morrow, are they?"

The question was quite brisk, when it came.

"Yes, they promised."

"Both of them, eh?"

"Yes, I hope so!" The sick man broke into eager explanations. "I only
want to see her, Langholm! That's all I want. I don't want her to
myself. What is the good? To see her and be with her is all I
want--ever. It has made me so happy. It is really better than if she
came alone. You see, as it is, I can't say anything--that matters. Do
you see?"

"Perfectly," said Langholm, gently.

The lad lay gazing up at him with great eyes. Langholm fancied their
expression was one of incredulity. Twilight was falling early with the
rain; the casement was small, and further contracted by an overgrowth of
creeper; those two great eyes seemed to shine the brighter through the
dusk. Langholm could not make his visit a very short one, after all. He
felt it would be cruel.

"What did you talk about, then?" he asked.

A small smile came with the answer, "You!"

"Me! What on earth had you to say about me?"

"I heard all you had been doing."

"Oh, that."

"You know you didn't tell me, that evening in town."

"No, I was only beginning, then."

It seemed some months ago--more months since that very afternoon.

"Have you found out anything?"

Langholm hesitated.

"Yes."

Why should he lie?

"Do you mean to say that you have any suspicion who it is?" Severino was
on his elbow.

"More than a suspicion. I am certain. There can be no doubt about it. A
pure fluke gave me the clew, but every mortal thing fits it."

Severino dropped back upon his pillow. Langholm seemed glad to talk to
him, to loosen his tongue, to unburden his heart ever so little. And,
indeed, he was glad.

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"That's my difficulty. She must be cleared before the world. That is the
first duty--if it could be done without--making bad almost worse!"

"Bad--worse? How could it, Langholm?"

No answer.

"Who do you say it is?"

No answer again. Langholm had not bargained to say anything to anybody
just yet.

Severino raised himself once more upon an elbow.

"I must know!" he said.

Langholm rose, laughing.

"I'll tell you who I thought it was at first," said he, heartily. "I
don't mind telling you that, because it was so absurd; and I think
you'll be the first to laugh at it. I was idiot enough to think it m