"That I am no good—an absolute rotter!"
"Flamby! Who has said such a thing? Not Chauvin, I'll swear, and not I. You are wilfully misjudging your real friends, little girl. Because you are clever—and you are clever, Flamby—you have faith in your judgment of men yet lack faith in your judgment of yourself. Now, tell me frankly, have you any friends of whom Don would disapprove?"
"No. Don trusts me."
"But he does not trust the world, Flamby, any more than I do, and the world can slay the innocent as readily as the guilty."
"I know!" cried Flamby, looking up quickly. "It was Mr. Thessaly who told you."
"Who told me what?"
"That he had seen me at supper with Orlando James. I didn't see him, but James said he was there."
She met Paul's gaze for a moment and tried to withdraw her hands, but he held them fast, and presently Flamby looked down again at the carpet.
"Whoever told me," said Paul, "it is the truth. Do you write often to Don?"
"Yes—sometimes."