"But does not convince you of her sincerity?"
"Well, she said not in just the same tone seven years ago, when we became engaged."
"Oh, you and she were engaged before her marriage?"
"Yes, we called it that. We had no possible prospect of ever getting married. Then just before I went abroad to study—"
"And may I ask what it was you went abroad to study, Mr. Hale?"
The young man looked at him a moment in surprise before he answered, "Painting. I'm Dominic Hale."
Williams shook his head.
"Ought I to know?"
Hale laughed.