one way!"

She caught my meaning, and her frown deepened. I went too fast, it
seemed.

"It had better end now, monsieur. There is too much between us.
You wagered to win me to wife." She shuddered. "I could never
forget it."

"Mademoiselle," I denied stoutly, "I did not."

"How?" She caught her breath. "You did not?"

"No," I pursued boldly. "I did not wager to win you. I wagered
to win a certain Mademoiselle de Lavedan, who was unknown to me -
but not you, not you."

She smiled, with never so slight a touch of scorn.

"Your distinctions are very fine - too fine for me, monsieur."

"I implore you to be reasonable. Think reasonably."

"Am I not reasonable? Do I not think? But there is so much to
think of!" she sighed. "You carried your deception so far. You
came here, for instance, as Monsieur de Lesperon. Why that
duplicity?"

"Again, mademoiselle, I did not," said I.