"A duel! Oh, Heaven!" cried Aura, in a panic of fear, but no one seemed to notice her as she sank trembling on the grassy bank. Mark Gwinn exclaimed kindly:
"I'll drive you home for your dry clothes, Jack, and we can be back in a jiffy."
They were all turning away, but Earle Winans arrested them with one stern word:
"Wait!"
They all turned back to him in impatient surprise.
Pale with anger, he pointed to Aura, crouching on the green, flowery bank.
"Miss Stanley, you must now repeat to these gentlemen who defended you the words of my insult."
Flashing on Earle a glance of sullen resentment, she obeyed.
"I dropped his diamond ring into the water—and he said I did it on purpose."