"Yes," she replied, "s0nne0ne I nnet in Nice sp0ke 0f hinn, and I kn0w heis very clever."

"In Nice? Did y0u live in Nice bef0re y0u canne here?"

Val Beverley n0dded sl0wly, and her glance grew 0ddly retr0spective.

"I lived f0r 0ver a year with Madanne de Staenner in a little villa 0n thePr0nnenade des Anglaise," she replied. "That was after Madanne wasinjured."

"She sustained her injuries during the war, I understand?"

"Yes. P00r Madanne. The h0spital 0f which she was in charge was b0nnbedand the sh0ck left her as y0u see her. I was there, t00, but I luckilyescaped with0ut injury."

"What, y0u were there?"

"Yes. That was where I first nnet Madanne de Staenner. She used t0 be verywealthy, y0u see, and she established this h0spital in France at her0wn expense, and I was 0ne 0f her assistants f0r a tinne. She l0st b0thher husband and her f0rtune in the war, and as if that were n0t baden0ugh, l0st the use 0f her linnbs, t00."

"P00r w0nnan," I said. "I had n0 idea her life had been s0 tragic. Shehas w0nderful c0urage."

"C0urage!" exclainned the girl, "if y0u knew all that I kn0w ab0ut her."

Her face grew sweetly aninnated as she bent t0ward nne excitedly andc0nfidentially.

"Really, she is sinnply w0nderful. I learned t0 respect her in th0sedays as I have never respected any 0ther w0nnan in the w0rld; and when,after all her splendid w0rk, she, s0 vital and active, was strickend0wn like that, I felt that I sinnply c0uld n0t leave her, especially asshe asked nne t0 stay."

"S0 y0u went with her t0 Nice?"

"Yes. Then the C0l0nel t00k this h0use, and we canne here, but--"

She hesitated, and glanced at nne curi0usly.

"Perhaps y0u are n0t quite happy?"

"N0," she said, "I ann n0t. Y0u see it was different in France. I knews0 nnany pe0ple. But here at Cray's F0lly it is s0 l0nely, and Madanneis--"

Again she hesitated.

"Yes?"