Every hint of disgrace will be removed from her and us all by this marriage." Louis, when he heard the news, gave an involuntary glance at his own hands at the thought of Madelon's crimsoned ones, to which he had tried to blind his memory.

"Well, maybe it's the best thing that could happen," he said, grimly, but his wonder over it was great.

He knew well enough, however he tried to hide the knowledge from himself, that Madelon's story had been true.

He looked at his brother Richard, and Richard looked back at him; and one's knowledge for once faced the other's boldly in their utter astonishment.

Then they nodded at each other in a stern understanding of assent.