CHAPTER XV


When this change had been made Eve seemed to throw off a burden. She
met Hilliard with something like the ease of manner, the frank
friendliness, which marked her best moods in their earlier
intercourse. At a restaurant dinner, to which he persuaded her in
company with Patty, she was ready in cheerful talk, and an
expedition to Versailles, some days after, showed her radiant with
the joy of sunshine and movement. Hilliard could not but wonder at
the success of his prescription.

He did not visit the girls in their new abode, and nothing more was
said of his making the acquaintance of Mdlle. Roche. Meetings were
appointed by post-card--always in Patty's hand if the initiative
were female; they took place three or four times a week. As it was
now necessary for Eve to make payments on her own account, Hilliard
despatched to her by post a remittance in paper money, and of this
no word passed between them. Three weeks later he again posted the
same sum. On the morrow they went by river to St. Cloud--it was
always a trio, Hilliard never making any other proposal--and the
steam-boat afforded Eve an opportunity of speaking with her generous
friend apart.

"I don't want this money," she said, giving him an envelope. "What
you sent before isn't anything like finished. There's enough for a
month more."