But we
became friends almost at once."
The motor was still stationary. The driver turned round for orders.
Sylvia roused herself.
"Can I drive you back to the Chalet des Muguets?" she asked. "Somehow I
don't feel inclined to take a drive in the forest now."
"If you do not mind," said Madame Wachner, "I should prefer to be driven
to the station, for l'Ami Fritz had to go to Paris." She laughed
ruefully. "To fetch money, as usual! His system did not work at all
well yesterday--poor Fritz!"
"How horrid!" said Sylvia. "It must be very disappointing to your husband
when his system goes wrong."
"Yes, very," answered the wife drily. "But when one system fails--well,
then he at once sets himself to inventing another! I lose a great deal
more in the lower room playing with francs than Fritz does at baccarat
playing with gold. You see, a system has this good about it--the player
generally comes out even at the end of each month."
"Does he, indeed?"
But Sylvia was not attending to what the other was saying. She was still
absorbed in the thought of her friend, and of the mystery of her friend's
sudden departure from Lacville.
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