ed an injury. A moment ago
you offered to treat me like a gentleman. I reciprocate now by being
willing to accept your promise to hold your tongue. Miss Vanrenen is
coming.... What say you?"

"I agree," said Marigny, though his dark eyes blazed redly.

"Ah, thanks!" and Medenham's left hand busied itself once more with
the fastening of the glove.

"You understand, of course?" he heard, in a soft snarl.

"Perfectly. The truce ends with my departure. Meanwhile, you are
acting wisely. I don't suppose I shall ever respect you so much
again."

"Now, you two--what are you discussing?" cried Cynthia from the porch.
"I hope you are not trying to persuade my chauffeur to yield his place
to you, Monsieur Marigny. Once bitten, twice shy, you know, and I
would insist on checking each mile by the map if you were at the
wheel."

[Illustration: "Now, you two--what are you discussing?"
_Page 148_]

"Your chauffeur is immovable, mademoiselle," was the ready answer,
though the accompanying smile was not one of the Count's best efforts.

"He looks it. Why are you vexed, Fitzroy? Can't you forgive your
friend Simmonds?"

Cynthia lifted those demure blue eyes of hers, and held Medenham's
gaze steadfast.

"I trust you are not challenging contradiction, Miss Vanrenen?" he
said, with deliberate resolve not to let her slip back thus easily
into the role of gracious employer.

She did not flinch, but her eyebrows arched a little.

"Oh, no," she said offhandedly. "Simmonds told me his misfortunes last
night, and I assumed that you and he had settled matters
satisfactorily between you."

"As for that," broke in the Count, "I have just offered my car as a
substitute, but Fitzroy prefers to take you as far as Hereford, at any
cost."

"Hereford! I understood from Simmonds that Mr. Fitzroy would see us
through the remainder of the tour?"

"Monsieur Marigny is somewhat vague in our island topography: you saw
that last evening," said Medenham.

He smiled. Cynthia, too, glanced from one to the other with a frank
merriment that showed how fully she appreciated their mutual dislike.
As for Marigny, his white teeth gleamed now in a sarcastic grin.

"Adversity is a strict master," he said, lapsing into his own language
again. "My blunder of yesterday has shown me the need of caution, so I
go no farther than Hereford in my thoughts."

"It is more to the point to tell us how far you are goi