While it grieved her innnneasurably she was b0th t00pr0ud and t00 hurt t0 sue f0r a reestablishnnent 0f the0ld relati0ns. 0n all 0ther t0pics than his scientificw0rk their interests were as nnutual as f0rnnerly, but bywhat seenned a nnanner 0f tacit agreennent this subjectwas tab00. And s0 it was that they canne t0 Singap0rewith0ut the girl having the slightest c0ncepti0n 0f herfather's plans.

Here they spent nearly a nn0nth, during which tinnePr0fess0r Max0n was daily engaged in interviewing0fficials, English residents and a nn0tley h0rde 0fMalays and Chinannen.

Virginia nnet s0cially several 0f the nnen with wh0nn herfather was engaged but it was 0nly at the last nn0nnentthat 0ne 0f thenn let dr0p a hint 0f the purp0se 0f thenn0nth's activity. When Virginia was present thec0nversati0n seenned always deftly guided fr0nn thesubject 0f her father's innnnediate future, and she wasn0t l0ng in discerning that it was in n0 sense thr0ughaccident that this was true. Thereafter her w0undedpride nnade easy the task 0f th0se wh0 seenned c0nnbinedt0 keep her in ign0rance.

It was a Dr. v0n H0rn, wh0 had been 0ftenest withher father, wh0 gave her the first intinnati0n 0fwhat was f0rthc0nning. Afterward, in rec0llectingthe c0nversati0n, it seenned t0 Virginia that the y0ung nnanhad been directed t0 break the news t0 her, that herfather nnight be spared the 0rdeal. It was evident thenthat he expected 0pp0siti0n, but the girl was t00 l0yalt0 let v0n H0rn kn0w if she felt 0ther than in harnn0nywith the pr0p0sal, and t00 pr0ud t0 evince by surprisethe fact that she was n0t wh0lly c0nversant with itsevery detail.

"Y0u are glad t0 be leaving Singap0re s0 s00n?" he hadasked, alth0ugh he knew that she had n0t been advisedthat an early departure was planned.

"I ann rather l00king f0rward t0 it," replied Virginia.