ays he had a
French name: she calls him Chariot."

"Your grandmother was never taught German: his name was the Oberst von
Scharlach." She did not remember my presence either: the two were still
looking straight in each other's eyes.

Bechamp had grown white to the lips: he was rigid with the effort to
control himself.

"Why didn't you tell me it was Scharlach who was here?" he brought out
at last in a low voice.

She turned her eyes in my direction. "I was just explaining to Mr.
Greer--"

"To Mr. Greer?" He looked at me too, half-angrily.

"I know the stories that are about," she continued quietly; "and I was
saying to your friend that, since we had been so happy as to be spared,
it seemed useless to dwell on what has happened elsewhere."

"Damn what happened elsewhere! I don't yet know what happened here."

I put a hand on his arm. Mlle. Malo was looking hard at me, but I
wouldn't let her see I knew it. "I'm going to leave you to hear the
whole story now," I said to Rechamp.

"But there isn't any story for him to hear!" she broke in. She pointed
at the serene front of the chateau, looking out across its gardens to
the unscarred fields. "We're safe; the place is untouched. Why brood on
other horrors--horrors we were powerless to help?"

Rechamp held his ground doggedly. "But the man's name is a curse and an
abomination. Wherever he went he spread ruin."

"So they say. Mayn't there be a mistake? Legends grow up so quickly in
these dreadful times. Here--" she looked about her again at the peaceful
scene--"here he behaved as you see. For heaven's sake be content with
that!"

"Content?" He passed his hand across his forehead. "I'm blind with
joy...or should be, if only..."

She looked at me entreatingly, almost desperately, and I took hold of
Rechamp's arm with a warning pressure.

"My dear fellow, don't you see that Mlle. Malo has been under a great
strain? _La joie fait peur_--that's the trouble with both of you!"

He lowered his head. "Yes, I suppose it is." He took her hand And kissed
it. "I beg your pardon. Greer's right: we're both on edge."

"Yes: I'll leave you for a little while, if you and Mr Greer will excuse
me." She included us both in a quiet look that seemed to me extremely
noble, and walked lowly away toward the chateau. Rechamp stood gazing
after her for a moment; then he dropped down on one of benches at
the edge of the path. He covered his face with his hands.
"Scharlach--Scharlach!"