“I think I understand,” he said again. “I think I do.”
They turned their eyes to the mountains, and as they looked the first shafts of sunlight fell on the white peaks and set them dazzling like mighty diamond-points against the blue bosom of the West. Slowly the flood of light poured down their mighty sides and melted the mauve shadows of the valley. Suddenly a ray of the morning splendor shot through the little window in the eastern wall of the living-room and fell fairly upon the woman’s head, crowning her like a halo of the Madonna.
“It is morning on the mountains—and on you!” Grant exclaimed. “Zen, you are very, very beautiful.” He raised her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips.
As they stood watching the sunlight pour into the valley a sharp knock sounded on the door. “Come,” said Dennison, and the next moment it swung open and Phyllis Bruce entered, followed immediately by Linder. A question leapt into her eyes at the remarkable situation which greeted them, and she paused in embarrassment.
“Phyllis!” Grant exclaimed. “You here!”
“It would seem that I was not expected.”
“It is all very simple,” Grant explained, with a laugh. “Little Willie Transley was my guest overnight. On account of the storm his mother became alarmed, and drove out from the city early this morning for him. Mrs. Transley, let me introduce Miss Bruce—Phyllis Bruce, of whom I have told you.”
Zen’s cordial handshake did more to reassure Phyllis than any amount of explanations, and Linder’s timely observation that he knew Wilson was there and was wondering about him himself had valuable corroborative effect.
“But now—YOUR explanations?” said Grant. “How comes it, Linder?”
“Simple enough, from our side. When I got back to town last night I found Murdoch highly excited over a telegram from Miss Bruce that she would arrive on the 3 a.m. train. He was determined to wait up, but when the storm came on I persuaded him to go home, as I was sure I could identify her. So I was lounging in my room waiting for three o’clock when I got your telephone call. All I could catch was the fact that you were mighty glad to get me, and had some urgent message for Miss Bruce. Then the connection broke.”