It's a marvellous effect--startling!"]

[Illustration: map]*

I said Nonsense--she wasn't broken; but the engagement had much better
be. "Give him back his ring," I went on. "Or perhaps you have given it?
I see you haven't worn it since the first day."

"It was too big, not suitable for motoring. And now--it is pawned," she
announced.

"Pawned?" I gasped.

"Yes. I cannot tell you the rest. But--it makes it so that I must go on
being engaged, in honour. I cannot now give the ring back."

I asked no more questions, but I guessed. Larry had had some big bill
presented to him. Pat did not wish to wear the ring. What good was it to
any one, then? Why should it not be "up the spout," instead of in a
jewel-box? Larry would have argued.

While I was having my talk with Pat, Larry was confiding in Jack. He
told him about the ring. I had guessed right. He had "acted
impulsively." Mrs. Shuster was a more trying proposition than he had
imagined, but he would have to "stick to it now," or he should never
have money enough to redeem Pat's ring. Jack offered to lend the sum,
but Larry wouldn't hear of that--was quite hurt; had only wanted
sympathy. He has the quaintest code of honour! We had both to promise
not to tell, and so we can't pass the news on to Peter. But sufficient
to yesterday is the evil thereof!

I don't suppose Pat had slept; but luckily faces are being worn small
and white this year, with eyes too big for them, and she looked as young
next morning as if she had spent her night in paradise instead of _far_
below that level. I felt horribly worried, because the plot wasn't
working a bit, and I couldn't eat my breakfast (if this keeps up, I
shall get so thin my veils won't fit!), but all the same I _couldn't_
help enjoying the day. It was so nice, in spite of all, proving to Jack
that you can _never_ exhaust the beauties of my country: there are
always more to come! He had prophesied that after the Water Gap the rest
of the trip would be an anticlimax. But he needn't have feared. The
first stage of the way beyond gave us a new sensation. It seems the road
is known to be one of the most exquisite in America; and indeed it was
as well worth coming from Europe for as the Water Gap itself--worth even
the risk of being torpedoed. Our procession seemed to pass through a
painted and tapestried corridor, so pink and purple and azure and gold
were the rocks that lined our way, with millions of delicate wild
flowers. A