ho might be
responsible. They listened attentively; but when I had finished, Miss
Fluette turned to Maillot as if I were no longer in the room. I
noticed that Miss Cooper's brow was gathered in a little frown--whether
of perplexity or disapprobation I could not determine--and that she was
looking fixedly at her cousin.

"Royal," said Miss Fluette the instant I was through, "is that--is Mr.
Burke here?" Unless I was very much mistaken, the abrupt lowering of
her voice which accompanied this question, the sudden narrowing of her
eyes, betokened a strong dislike for the secretary. So, then, Miss
Fluette was acquainted with him, was she?

"Yes, he's here," Maillot absently replied. Then a swift look--a flash
of understanding--passed between the two girls.

Both pairs of eyes, the brown and the blue, avoided mine--in a studied
effort, I fancied--when I glanced from one to the other to read further.

After all, I concluded, I was glad these two young ladies happened to
be present.

"The object of my coming here last night," the young man at length
began, "was known only to myself and Mr. Fluette, although I told Miss
Fluette the bare circumstance of my intention. My mission would seem
so absurd to any sane man, so utterly hopeless; it would be so
impossible to bring any one else to look at the matter from my point of
view, that my fear of ridicule stayed me from taking even her into my
confidence. It was this."

His voice dropped, and he had every appearance of one who speaks with
the utmost reluctance.

"I came to ask my uncle for the Paternoster ruby," he announced.

I merely waited, neither stirring nor speaking; not so the two girls,
however, who made no pretence of concealing their amazement.

"You asked him to _give_ it to you?" gasped Miss Fluette.

Maillot laughed bitterly, looking straight at me.

"I did," said he, as one convinced that he would not be believed in any
event. "I not only asked him to give it to me--after having stated my
reasons--but he promised to do so--this morning."

He seemed to measure our incredulity; to determine if its degree would
warrant him in proceeding. My own countenance, I know, told him
nothing; but it was obvious that the girls were assimilating his
startling affirmations only with the greatest difficulty. I watched
them curiously. They knew this young man perhaps better than any one
else, and their fresh youthful faces were a clear index to their
thoughts.