I looked into her face, amazed at the sudden change. But there was no mistaking her conviction or the joy which it occasioned her. I saw a light in her eyes, dancing and sparkling, which I had never envisaged before, and which filled me with exquisite happiness.
"Still," I said, as I took her hand, "I would fain prove my words to you."
"Can you not trust me at all?"
She had a wonderful knack of putting me in the wrong when I was on the side of the right, and before I could find a suitable reply she slipped out of my grasp, and crossing the room, took in her hand the cup of wine.
"Now," said she, "I will pledge you, Mr. Buckler;" which she did very prettily, and handed the cup to me. As I raised it to my lips, however, an idea occurred to me.
"It is you who refuse to pledge me," she said.
"Nay, nay," said I, and I drained the cup. "But I have just guessed who my traducer is."
She looked perplexed for a moment.
"You have guessed who----" she began, in an accent of wonder.
"Who gave you the picture," I explained.