nounced; as, coming upon the heels of Jean's mysterious
accident and Paul Valmain's sudden departure from Paris, it would to a
certainty have caused talk and gossip, which for very good reasons she
was most anxious to avoid; for, a wheel within a wheel, if talk went
too far the truth might come out, and the truth at all hazards was the
one thing that Jean must not know. This was one reason why, almost
from the moment that she had grasped the situation that night in Jean's
studio, she had determined to get Jean away from Paris the instant he
was able to go. But there was a still stronger and more potent reason.
The marriage of Jean Laparde, the world-famous sculptor, and Myrna
Bliss, heiress to millions, a society leader in both Paris and New
York, was not an affair to be consummated in a moment, nor to have its
preparations go unmarked. It would be the most brilliant function that
society had ever known on either side of the water--to that she had
quite definitely made up her mind! But all that would take time; and
meanwhile, more to be feared than any talk, was the possibility of Jean
seeing Marie-Louise--and the possibility, or rather, perhaps, the
opportunity that would be afforded to Marie-Louise herself, whom she,
Myrna, was by no means inclined to trust! She was quite convinced that
Jean had not seen the girl since he had left Bernay-sur-Mer, that to a
certain extent the girl had told the truth, but that made it all the
more imperative that he should not see her now; for if, though
unconsciously so, Marie-Louise was so intimate a part of his life that
the girl took form constantly in his work, it would be, to put it
mildly, just as well if they did not meet--until after Jean was
married. After that--well, after that, she was quite capable of
looking after a _husband_! In the meantime she would take good care
that the possibility of such a contretemps was entirely obviated by
going to America, spending the few months necessary for the marriage
preparations there, months in which Jean would be the recipient of even
greater honours than Paris had accorded him, be married, and--well,
that was all! It was very simple! What this impertinent little
peasant girl had attempted once, even if Father Anton did intend to
take her back to Bernay-sur-Mer, she was quite capable of attempting
again--if she had the chance!

Myrna nestled her arm snugly around her father's neck, and held up two
daintily extended fingers bef