Then he waved his hand." "To me ?" Madame nodded.
"But if you saw him, who was he ?" the Countess asked.
"I did not see his face," Madame St.Lo answered.

"But he waved to you.
That I saw." The Countess had a thought which slowly flooded her face with crimson.
Madame St.Lo saw the change, saw the tender light which on a sudden softened the other's eyes; and the same thought occurred to her.

And having a mind to punish her companion for her reticence--for she did not doubt that the girl knew more than she acknowledged--she proposed that they should return and find Badelon, and learn if he had seen the man.
"Why ?" Madame Tavannes asked.

And she stood stubbornly, her head high.
"Why should we ?" "To clear it up," the elder woman answered mischievously.

"But perhaps, it were better to tell your husband and let his men search the coppice." The colour left the Countess's face as quickly as it had come.