We've got to
go somewhere. Why not there? And if I lose, things won't be any worse
with us than they are now. What use is two thousand francs except to
gamble with? Still, I didn't think they'd give me as much, and they
wouldn't, by half, if it hadn't been for you."
"I hope Lady Dauntrey won't be disappointed," Mary ventured.
"I don't know--I don't know," he muttered. "Eve is in a strange state of
mind. It makes me anxious for the future. But what's the good of
worrying? Perhaps there won't be any future."
Lady Dauntrey was sitting on an iron seat near the top of the gardens.
She sprang up when the lamplight showed her the two figures she knew,
walking side by side.
"Well?" she asked breathlessly.
"Two thousand francs--thanks to Miss Grant," her husband answered; and
Mary was afraid of an angry outburst, but it did not come.
"Two thousand francs!" Eve echoed, dully. "Better than nothing. But
what's to become of us? Where shall we go? If we buy tickets even second
class for England, there's a lot gone. If only we could get away to some
place near by and hide ourselves for a while, till we could have time to
look round and make up our minds!" She turned quickly to Mary. "While
you were both gone," she said, "I was thinking. It's true, isn't it,
that Captain Hannaford left the chateau he bought to you?"
"Yes," Mary admitted.
"I was wondering if you'd let us live in it for a few days--or a few
weeks."
"I'm going there myself to-night," Mary said impulsively.
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