“I’m not surprised that he should wish it.  But somehow I hadn’t contemplated Lawrence’s marrying.”

The girl’s color deepened.  “Are you very frank, or only tactless?”

“I was stupid,” said Foster with some confusion.  “But I didn’t mean what you think.  Far from it!  My partner has made good, I’m glad you had the wisdom and pluck to see this.”

“He is a very dear fellow,” she answered with a soft gleam in her eyes that moved Foster.  Then she smiled.  “You are forgiven—­and I must confess that at first my mother took the view I thought you hinted at.  She said Lawrence ought to wait until all risk of the past’s being brought to light was gone.  But I suppose when you guessed the truth it was something of a shock?”

“No,” said Foster.  “Although I haven’t known you long, I feel that I won’t lose my partner when he marries you.  I was grateful when you said you hoped I would always be his friend.”

Lucy nodded.  “I saw you understood.  Before we met I was rather jealous of you—­and curious.  I think Lawrence sometimes makes mistakes about people.”

“Walters, for example?  Well, I like you to be careful about Lawrence, but hope you don’t feel anxious now you have seen me.”

“He needs a man friend and there’s something about you that makes one feel you can be trusted,” said Lucy, who gave him a level glance.  “You look ingenuous, but perhaps that’s deceptive, in a way.  I mean that I didn’t quite understand you until you told us about your adventures in Scotland.”

“Ah!” said Foster, “Carmen once said something like that, but she was blunt.  She told me I wasn’t quite such a fool as I look.  However, I haven’t much ground for boasting about my exploits.  The main results were that I got myself suspected by the police, warned off Daly, and made Lawrence’s father think I had murdered him.  Now I’d much rather look a simpleton than a homicide!”

Lucy laughed, but her eyes were soft.  “We all make mistakes, Mr. Foster, but your object was good.  Besides, I feel that you will carry it out.”

Foster hesitated for a few moments, studying the girl.  She had courage and he liked the way she took care of his comrade.  In some respects, Lawrence needed to be guarded.

“I hoped you would stop when your mother went,” he said.

She nodded.  “Yes; I knew you had something to say.”

“It’s important.  But first of all, I expect you had a bad time when Lawrence didn’t come back from the mountain.”

“I shall not forget it,” Lucy said with a shudder.  “While I waited and wondered why he didn’t come I thought the anxiety intolerable, but it was worse after we met Walters and the drunken guide.  He wanted to join us, but I knew he was somehow to blame.”

“Afterwards you had to wait alone upon the glacier.  That wouldn’t make you think any better of him.”