The beauty's lashes fell to hide her blue eyes' exultant gleam.
"Oh, how cruel of Kathleen!" she exclaimed. She sighed, and added, in a low, tender voice: "How could any one be cruel to you?"
He hardly noticed the purport of her speech, he was so absorbed in thought.
"You will go to her, Miss Belmont? You will bring her home?" he pleaded.
"But perhaps she will not come with me. Is it not a little strange that she did not come here at first, Mr. Chainey?"
"Yes, it is strange. There is something very mysterious about this affair. But go to her, Miss Belmont, and no doubt she will give you her confidence. Be her friend, if she needs one," pleaded the lover, forgetting his wrath against Kathleen in anxiety over her welfare.
"I will go to-morrow," promised Alpine, soothingly.
"And you will bring her home with you?"
"If she will come," answered Alpine. Then she gave a violent start, exclaiming: "Oh, I've just remembered something!"