suddenly
weakened. She had the feeling of a peevish child.

"Geraldine," he begged, "take at least the advice of a man who loves
you. Wait."

Even when he had opened the door she felt a sudden inclination to call
him back. She heard him go down the hall, heard the front door open and
close. She sat and looked in a dazed sort of way at the empty space
upon her finger. Then she rose and went into the drawing-room, where her
father and mother were still reading. She held out her hand.

"Mother," she announced, "I am not engaged to Major Thomson any more."

The Admiral laid down his newspaper.

"Damned good job, too!" he declared. "That young fellow Granet's worth a
dozen of him. Never could stick an Army Medical. Well, well! How did he
take it?"

Lady Conyers watched her daughter searchingly. Then she shook her head.

"I hope you have done wisely, dear," she said.

CHAPTER XIII

At a little after noon on the following day Captain Granet descended
from a taxicab in the courtyard of the Milan Hotel, and, passing
through the swing doors, made his way to the inquiry office. A suave,
black-coated young clerk hastened to the desk.

"Can you tell me," Granet inquired, "whether a gentlemen named Guillot
is staying here?"

The young man bowed.

"Monsieur Guillot arrived last night, sir," he announced. "He has just
rung down to say that if a gentlemen called to see him he could be
shown up. Here, page," he went on, turning to a diminutive youth in the
background, "show this gentleman to number 322."

Granet followed the boy to the lift and was conducted to a room on the
third floor. The door was opened by a tall, white-haired Frenchman.

"Monsieur Guillot?" Captain Granet inquired pleasantly. "My name is
Granet."

The Frenchman ushered him in. The door was closed and carefully locked.
Then Monsieur Guillot swung around and looked at his visitor with some
curiosity. Granet was still wearing his uniform.

"France must live," Granet murmured.

The Frenchman at once extended his hand.

"My friend," he confessed, "for a moment I was surprised. It did not
occur to me to see you in this guise."

Granet smiled.

"I have been out at the Front," he explained, "and am home wounded."

"But an English officer?" Monsieur Guillot remarked dubiously. "I do
not quite understand, then. The nature of the communication which I have
come to receive is known to you?"

Granet nodded and accepted the chair which his host ha