"And the world always laughs at, not with, a fool.

Alas, my dear sister, it's a very deep pool we're in." He leaned closer and allowed a quaint, half-bantering, wholly diffident smile to cross his face.

"I--I'm afraid that you are the only being on earth who can make the story thoroughly plausible." "I ?" she demanded quickly.

Their eyes met, and the wonder suddenly left hers.

She blushed furiously.