16« THE GUEST OF QUESNAY

"That's all," I said blankly, but, with a second
thought, caught her meaning. "Oh, about young
Saffren, you mean?"

"Yes."

"I know him pretty well," I said, "without really
knowing anything about him; but what is stranger,
I believe he doesn't really know a great deal about
himself. Of course I have a theory about him,
though it's vague. My idea is that probably through
some great illness he lost — not his faculty of memory,
but his memories, or, at least, most of them. In
regard to what he does remember, Professor Keredec
has anxiously impressed upon him some very poig-
nant necessity for reticence. What the necessity
may be, or the nature of the professor's anxieties,
I do not know, but I think Keredec's reasons must
be good ones. That's all, except that there's some-
thing about the young man that draws one to him:
I couldn't tell you how much I like him, nor how
sorry I am that he offended you."

"He didn't offend me," she murmured^almost
whispered.
"He didn't mean to," I said warmly. "You
understood that?"

"Yes, I understood."



CHAPTER TWELVE 163

"I am glad. I'd been waiting the chance to try

to explain — to ask you to pardon him "

"But there wasn't any need."

"You mean because you understood "



"No," she interrupted gently, "not only that.
I mean because he has done it himself."

"Asked your pardon?" I said, in complete
surprise.
"Yes."

"He's written you?" I cried.
"No. I saw him to-day," she answered. "This
afternoon when I went for my walk, he was waiting
where the the paths intersect "

Some hasty ejaculation, I do not know what,
came from me, but she lifted her hand.
