At first I couldn't believe it," she plunged on, plainly hurrying against Billy's return.

"After all you'd told me of how you meant to fight it--your tiger skin.

And I thought it merely _happened_ that you were here alone with her those days I came.

Then, when I found out they were _always_ the days Mr.Henshaw was away at the doctor's, I had to believe." She stopped for breath.

Arkwright, who, up to this moment had shown that he was completely mystified as to what she was talking about, suddenly flushed a painful red.