"I beg to be allowed to thank you for your aid," he said with
emotion, turning and facing me. "Whom have I the honour of
addressing?"

"M. Anne de Caylus, a friend of your cousin," I replied.

"Indeed?" he said "well, I thank you most heartily," and we
embraced with warmth.

"But I could have done little," I answered modestly, "on your
behalf, if it had not been for this ring."

"And the virtue of the ring lies in--"

"In--I am sure I cannot say in what!" I confessed. And then, in
the sympathy which the scene had naturally created between us, I
forgot one portion of my lady's commands and I added impulsively,
"All I know is that Madame d'O gave it me; and that it has done
all, and more than all she said it would."

"Who gave it to you?" he asked, grasping my arm so tightly as to
hurt me.

"Madame d'O," I repeated. It was too late to draw back now.

"That woman!" he ejaculated in a strange low whisper. "Is it
possible? That woman gave it you?"

I wandered what on earth he meant, surprise, scorn and dislike