He had just made out, in the now full picture, something and somebody else; another impression had been superimposed.

A young girl in a white dress and a softly plumed white hat had suddenly come into view, and what was presently clear was that her course was toward them.

What was clearer still was that the handsome young man at her side was Chad Newsome, and what was clearest of all was that she was therefore Mademoiselle de Vionnet, that she was unmistakeably pretty--bright gentle shy happy wonderful--and that Chad now, with a consummate calculation of effect, was about to present her to his old friend's vision.

What was clearest of all indeed was something much more than this, something at the single stroke of which--and wasn't it simply juxtaposition ?--all vagueness vanished.

It was the click of a spring--he saw the truth.