"He would have come to the same conclusion himself. I only hastened it a little by a suggestion," she replied.
"I have my own idea about the way you expressed it," he said with a jolly laugh. "Look here, Elena, I hope you don't believe that I have been disloyal to you in my association with Barbara Bozenta?"
The girl straightened her superb figure, and broke into a laugh of mingled humour and irony.
"Well, I've a confession to make, Norman. I've been disloyal to you."
"You—disloyal—to me!" he gasped.
"Yes. I've felt of late as though you were a big, sick baby on my hands, and I've grown tired of the charge."
"Well, upon my soul!" he exclaimed.
"Our engagement is at an end."
"Elena!"
"I'll keep your beautiful ring"—she touched it affectionately—"for the memories that will always bind us as brother and sister. Besides, it will deceive your father for a while. He has enough to worry him just now."