answered Turner, stolidly, without turning an eyelash
in the direction of Colville. "Perhaps that is why no one has ever asked
me to marry them."

Mrs. St. Pierre Lawrence laughed jerkily at this witticism. She laughed
again when John Turner rose from his chair to congratulate her, but
the laugh suddenly ceased when he raised her hand to his lips with a
courtesy which was even in those days dying out of the world, and turned
away from him hastily. She stood with her back toward them for a minute
or two looking at some flowers on a side table. Then she came back into
the middle of the room, all smiles, replacing her handkerchief in her
pocket.

"So that is the news I have to tell you," she said.

John Turner had placidly resumed his chair after shaking hands with
Dormer Colville for the second time since luncheon.

"Yes," he answered, "it is news indeed. And I have a little news to give
you. I do not say that it is quite free from the taint of business, but
at all events it is news. Like yours, it has the merit of being at first
hand, and you are the first to hear it. No one else could tell it to
you."

He broke off and rubbed his chin while he looked apathetically at
Colville's necktie.

"It has another merit, rare enough," he went on. "It is good news. I
think, in fact I may say I am sure, that we shall pull through now and
your money will be safely returned to you."

"I am so glad," said Mrs. St. Pierre Lawrence, with a glance at Dormer
Colville. "I cannot tell you how glad I am."

She looked at the banker with bright eyes and the flush still in her
cheeks that made her look younger and less sure of herself.

"Not only for my own sake, you know. For yours, because I am sure you
must be relieved, and for--well, for everybody's sake. Tell me all about
it, please." And she pushed her chair sideways nearer to Colville's.

John Turner bit the first joint of his thumb reflectively. It is so rare
that one can tell any one all about anything.

"Tell me first," Mrs. St. Pierre Lawrence suggested, "whether Miriam
Liston's money is all safe as well."

"Miriam's money never was in danger," he replied. "Miriam is my ward;
you are only my client. There is no chance of Miriam being able to make
ducks and drakes of her money."

"That sounds as if I had been trying to do that with mine."

"Well," admitted the banker, with a placid laugh, "if it had not been
for my failure--"

"Don't call it hard names," put in Dorme