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第6部分（第1页）

She　gave　a　little　sigh；　and　then　became　practical　once　more。

〃You　dont　understand　these　things；　Dereek；　you　are　only　a　man。　Van　Aldin　will　give　these　rubies　to　his　daughter；　I　suppose。　Is　she　his　only　child？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　when　he　dies；　she　will　inherit　all　his　money。　She　will　be　a　rich　woman。〃

〃She　is　a　rich　woman　already；〃　said　Kettering　drily。　〃He　settled　a　couple　of　millions　on　her　at　her　marriage。〃

〃A　couple　of　millions！　But　that　is　immense。　And　if　she　died　suddenly；　eh？　That　would　all　e　to　you？〃

〃As　things　stand　at　present；〃　said　Kettering　slowly；　〃it　would。　As　far　as　I　know　she　has　not　made　a　will。〃

〃Mon　Dieu！〃　said　the　dancer。　〃If　she　were　to　die；　what　a　solution　that　would　be。〃

There　was　a　moments　pause；　and　then　Derek　Kettering　laughed　outright。

〃I　like　your　simple；　practical　mind；　Mirelle；　but　I　am　afraid　what　you　desire　wont　e　to　pass。　My　wife　is　an　extremely　healthy　person。〃

〃Eh；　bien！〃　said　Mirelle；　〃there　are　accidents。〃

He　looked　at　her　sharply　but　did　not　answer。

She　went　on。

〃But　you　are　right；　mon　ami；　we　must　not　dwell　on　possibilities。　See　now；　my　little　Dereek；　there　must　be　no　more　talk　of　this　divorce。　Your　wife　must　give　up　the　idea。〃

〃And　if　she　wont？〃

The　dancers　eyes　widened　to　slits。

〃I　think　she　will；　my　friend。　She　is　one　of　those　who　would　not　like　the　publicity。　There　are　one　or　two　pretty　stories　that　she　would　not　like　her　friends　to　read　in　the　newspapers。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Kettering　sharply。

Mirelle　laughed；　her　head　thrown　back。

〃Parbleu！　I　mean　the　gentleman　who　calls　himself　the　te　de　la　Roche。　I　know　all　about　him。　I　am　Parisienne；　you　remember。　He　was　her　lover　before　she　married　you；　was　he　not？〃

Kettering　took　her　sharply　by　the　shoulders。

〃That　is　a　damned　lie；〃　he　said；　〃and　please　remember　that；　after　all；　you　are　speaking　of　my　wife。〃

Mirelle　was　a　little　sobered。

〃You　are　extraordinary；　you　English；〃　she　plained。　〃All　the　same；　I　dare　say　that　you　may　be　right。　The　Americans　are　so　cold；　are　they　not？　But　you　will　permit　me　to　say；　mon　ami；　that　she　was　in　love　with　him　before　she　married　you；　and　her　father　stepped　in　and　sent　the　te　about　his　business。　And　the　little　Mademoiselle；　she　wept　many　tears！　But　she　obeyed。　Still；　you　must　know　as　well　as　I　do；　Dereek；　that　it　is　a　very　different　story　now。　She　sees　him　nearly　every　day；　and　on　the　fourteenth　she　goes　to　Paris　to　meet　him。〃

〃How　do　you　know　all　this？〃　demanded　Kettering。

〃Me？　I　have　friends　in　Paris；　my　dear　Dereek；　who　know　the　te　intimately。　It　is　all　arranged。　She　is　going　to　the　Riviera；　so　she　says；　but　in　reality　the　te　meets　her　in　Paris　and　…　who　knows！　Yes；　yes；　you　can　take　my　word　for　it；　it　is　all　arranged。〃

Derek　Kettering　stood　motionless。

〃You　see；〃　purred　the　dancer；　〃if　you　are　clever；　you　have　her　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand。　You　can　make　things　very　awkward　for　her。〃

〃Oh；　for　Gods　sake　be　quiet；〃　cried　Kettering。　〃Shut　your　cursed　mouth！〃

Mirelle　flung　herself　down　again　on　the　divan　with　a　laugh。　Kettering　caught　up　his　hat　and　coat　and　left　the　flat；　banging　the　door　violently。　And　still　the　dancer　sat　on　the　divan　and　laughed　softly　to　herself。　She　was　not　displeased　with　her　work。