Darkness had fallen when Thurston rode up to the ranch. He passed half an hour alone with Millicent and went away without speaking to anyone else. After he had gone Millicent said to Mrs. Savine:
"I start for England as soon as possible, and Mr. Thurston is going to the railroad with me. I shall never return to Canada."
Pleading fatigue, she retired early, and for a time Mrs. Savine and Helen sat silently in the glow of the great hearth upon which immense logs were burning. There was no other light in the room, and each flicker of the fire showed that Helen's face was more than usually serious.
"Did you know that it was Mrs. Leslie Geoffrey should have married?" asked Mrs. Savine at length.
"No," answered Helen, flushing. With feeling she added. "Perhaps I ought to have guessed it. She leaves shortly, does the not? It will be a relief. She must be a wicked woman, but please don't talk of her."
"That is just what I'm going to do," declared her aunt, gravely. "I wouldn't guarantee that she is wholly good, but I blame her poison-mean husband more than her. Anyway, she is better than you suppose her."
"I made no charge against her, and am only glad she is going," said Helen Savine. Mrs. Savine smiled shrewdly.
"Well, I am going to show you there is nothing in that charge. Not quite logical, is it, but sit still there and listen to me."
Helen listened, at first very much against her will, presently she grew half-convinced, and at last wholly so. She blushed crimson as she said:
"May I be forgiven for thinking evil—but such things do happen, and though I several times made myself believe, even against, the evidence of my eyes, that I was wrong, appearances were horribly against her. I am tired and will say good-night, auntie."