Then I persuaded Vere, my husband, to take me to Paris for a few days, telling him I wanted to see the daughter of an old friend, who was at school there.

In telling him that I did not speak falsely--Madaline's mother had been an old friend of mine.

Then I told him that my whim was to bring Madaline home and make a companion of her; he allowed me to do just as I pleased, asking no questions about her parents, or anything else.

I do not believe it ever occurred to him as strange that the name of my _protegee_ and of the man who had robbed him was the same--indeed, he seemed to have forgotten all about the robbery.

So I brought Madaline home to Vere Court, and then to London, where I knew that you would see her.