"You do not believe it then, Mr. Leslie?"
"If you will have me speak frankly, I do not. Of all the young ladies I have ever met, I think her the least likely to become a governess—by choice, that is."
Earle looked at him blankly. It had never entered his mind to disbelieve what she had written. That threw a fresh light upon the matter.
"Tell me all about it," the artist said, after a few minutes.
And Earle did as he was requested. Gregory Leslie listened in silence.
"I know nothing about it," he said, after a time. "It is quite natural that you should imagine that I did, but I do not. She has never mentioned it to me. I understand now what you meant by being loyal. Let me say that, for your sake, if she had asked me to help her in any such scheme, I should have refused."
"I believe it. There is one thing," said Earle, "I have sworn to find her, and find her I will. Can you suggest to me any feasible or sensible plan of search?"
Then he uttered a little cry of amaze, for Gregory Leslie was looking at him with a startled expression in his face.
"Strange!" he said. "I have only just thought of it. You remember my picture of 'Innocence?'"
"Yes," said Earle.