t is as if I had placed my eye to that little circlet, looking
through it as through a spyglass towards my goal. I shall work after
this, Miss Cunningham, as I could not work before, because I have now a
fixed starting-point. It may be an intricate tangle that I shall have to
unravel, it may be a tedious task, yet----"

"There are only six weeks--_less_ than six weeks to do it in!" she
murmured, but a faint colour had sprung to her cheeks, a light of hope
to her eyes.

"Is it not possible," I begged, "if I find myself near success, yet
stopped temporarily midway by some unforeseen obstacle, that you can
delay your marriage? Let me have that to hope for. It will help me to
win."

She shook her head sadly, and the rose-flush died.

"It is useless to think of it," she said. "You may imagine, since I have
confessed so much to you, that it was not _my_ plan to name such an
early date. It was Mr. Wildred who suggested it--indeed, he insisted,
and unfortunately he is in a position to insist."

"Has nothing changed since we met at the Savoy?" I hurriedly asked.
"Can't you explain to me the power which you admitted then that this man
holds over you?"

"No, _nothing_ is changed, Mr. Stanton! The reason that I cannot
explain is--a part of his power, if you like to call it that."

"Heaven knows I do _not_ like it!" I exclaimed, almost savagely.
And as the words fell from my lips Lady Tressidy entered the room. She
had finished superintending her packing, and the sight of her was a
sudden sharp reminder that next day she would take Karine away.

CHAPTER XIV

An Extra Special

Lady Tressidy was so full of plans for the future--Karine's future with
Carson Wildred--that my soul sickened of her chatter, and I took myself
off as soon as it was decently possible to do so. With no further chance
of private talk with Karine much of my incentive for remaining was gone,
at all events, and I was anxious to think out the puzzle regarding the
transfer of the ring.

To recapitulate, Farnham had announced his intention of keeping it until
the necessity arose for having it cut from his finger. Still, it seemed
he had not kept it, and it had not been cut off. The conviction was
strong within me that Wildred had obtained the jewel by foul play. Yet
how could he have done this, short of severing from the hand the finger
that had worn it?

Strange fancies flitted luridly through my brain. In a few days more
Harvey Farnham would