.

Marie-Louise shook her head.

Myrna Bliss stamped her foot angrily.

"Are you stupid enough to imagine that you are protecting Father Anton?
I promise you I shall have a word with that gentleman in the morning!
And since you could have got that hat and cloak nowhere else, tell
Monsieur Valmain that Father Anton gave them to you, and have done with
it!"

Marie-Louise looked up. Mademoiselle had said it, and--and Father
Anton certainly would not deny it.

"Yes," she said under her breath. "Father Anton gave them to me."

"Well, why didn't you say so at first?" snapped Myrna. She turned
again furiously on Paul Valmain. "You hear, Monsieur Valmain! You are
well acquainted with Father Anton. Go to him, if you have any doubts.
You have only to know now how Father Anton obtained them"--her words
were curling, biting, stinging like a whiplash in their bitter scorn.
"Well, listen! I and a few of my friends have become _charitable_
since father established his fund. It is contagious, Monsieur Valmain!
We, too, give bounteously to Father Anton for distribution amongst the
poor--we give our discarded garments! I sent him that hat and cloak in
a bundle with some other things, a few days ago. Is it quite plain,
Monsieur Valmain? Are you satisfied? Well, then"--she swung an
outstretched arm toward the door--"go!"

"But, mademoiselle--_pour l'amour de Dieu_!" he protested brokenly.
"Do you not see that I am in agony, in torment for what I have done,
that--"

"Go!" she raged--and stamped with her foot upon the floor again.

For a moment he stood lurching a little on his feet, as though he had
been struck a blow; and then, white-faced, he drew himself up and bowed
to her.

"As you will, mademoiselle!" he said in a low voice, and walked past
her toward the door.

Myrna Bliss turned to watch him--and halfway across the room halted him.

"Wait!"--she pointed to the rapiers lying on the floor. "Take those
things with you! And one word more, Monsieur Valmain! I do not intend
to pose in Paris in the abandoned role you were so quick to cast me
for. You perhaps understand that! I do not propose that anything
shall be known of what has happened here to-night. I shall see to it
that nothing is said by the others, but a word of this from you,
Monsieur Valmain, or from Monsieur LeFair, who Monsieur Vinailles tells
me was acting as your second, and--"

"Mademoiselle might have spared me that!" he said monotonousl