"And they are her own--not by purchase."

"Are you sure she doesn't owe for them?"

"Positive; except, of course, to her Creator. Isn't it wonderful to
think that those three women are contemporaries of Lady Sellingworth?"

"Indeed it is! But surely you didn't let them know that you knew they
were? Or shall I say know they are?"

She smiled, showing perfect teeth, and shook her corn-coloured head.

"You see, I'm so young and live in Paris! And then I'm American. They
have no idea how much I know. I just let them suppose that I only knew
they were old enough to remember Lady Sellingworth when she was still a
reigning beauty. I implied that _they_ were buds then."

"And they accepted the implication?"

"Oh, they are women of the world! They just swallowed it very quietly,
as a well-bred person swallows a small easy-going bonbon."

Craven could not help laughing. As he did so he saw in Miss Van Tuyn's
eyes the thought:

"You think me witty, and you're not far out."

"And did you glean any knowledge of Lady Sellingworth?" he asked.