"So you've come back."
"Y—yes. I thought—"
"You thought you'd come before it was too late."
"Yes; I was afraid—"
"I'm glad there's something you're afraid of doing, though I can scarce imagine what."
Val put her hand up, bewildered, to her eyes.
"The last thing I would have believed of Valeria Gano was that she would do something underhand."
"Oh, but I didn't—"
"You didn't pretend to me that you were going to visit Mrs. Austin Ball when you were really running after Ethan?"
"I haven't been running after any one."