mfortable and companionable odor of tobacco. I moved a very little, and then I saw that i

way he came across quickly. "Why, Mrs. Wilson, what

ished disagreeably. "Perhaps I am

asleep in a February night, in the open air, w

re numb, I sat down on the parapet for a moment. Oh, I knew what I l

"You said precisely the same thing to me at three o'clock this

see that he was looking down at me oddly. All my bravad

," he finished miserably. "I ought to be drawn and quartered, but when I see you like

stand looking out over the river, with his hands thrust in his pockets. Of course the thing I should have done was to ignore what he had said altoget

ou tell me that I am a silly child for pouting?" No reply; he struck a match. "Or wo

avagely unde

eats me outrageously-oh, he does; any one can see that-and because I loathe him-and any one can tell that-why don't y

he had the audacity to grip my arm and stand me on

you don't mean it. It isn't YOU. You know you care, or else why are y

will-

mly. And then he stalked away and left me there alone,

nd I stopped. I could have sworn I heard Mr. Harbison's footsteps far below, growing fainter. I even smiled a little, there in the dark, although I had be

him fiercely, and held me there, close, and he kissed me-not once or twice, but half a dozen times, long kisses that filled me with hot shame for him, for myself, that I had-liked him. The

I need never see him again. Perversely enough, I did none of those things. With my face still flaming, with burning eyes and hands that shook, I made a belated evening toilet and went slo

Jim was alone in the den, walking the floor and biting at an unlighted cigar; Betty had returned to Aunt

from his game, "because the old lady upstairs insists on

usly, "and gasolene fumes, without turning a hair. I cal

very bad grace, and Anne counted

ore if he can. Kit, don't have another clam while I am in this house.

" Lollie said. "You are really q

paper, with a photograph of the house and a cross at the cellar window where we had tried to e

e a hum of conversation, Bella's cool, even tones, and a heavy masculine voice.

r him and the game, "has any one been up thr

d at me

layed the Sonata Appasionata backward on the pianola-he wanted to put through one of Anne's lingerie waists,

ences of sincerity, certainly. But it was past doubting now; he had lain in wait for me at the landing, and had kissed me, M

rds stopped, and Bella said she would read palms. She began with Mr. Harbison, because she declared he had a wonderful hand, full of possibilities; she said he should have been a great invent

ked at it icily. Of course she could n

ured by cushions of flesh; no heart line at all, mental

up to the light

safe for me to go around

to Anne, but as soon as he could he slid away and went to bed. He looked very badly the next morning, as thoug

ng nightcaps, and asked me in a low tone if he could see m

all know what it is, Max. G

I asked, for Mr. Ha

ry enough really to propose to me right there, I got up hastily and went int

f, Kit," he began, "I did NOT

with his arms folded, looking down at me. "I'm not at all sure, i

are not going to take those back, are

tood with his hand on the back of my chair. "What

nterest you," I retorted,

y eye, "pretend she is another man's wife. Then I sit back and watch her using every art-all her beauty-to make still another man love her,

up sud

e trouble!" I repeated. Wh

person, save Flannigan, who was locked in the furnace room, one person who was awake and around the hous

" I aske

yhow? Dal knew him at school, traveled with him through India. On the strength of that he brin

. Harbison-I-I hate him, if you want to know. But as to his being

igarette into t

"If either of us is the thief, it

the hall door like a cyclone, and collapsed into a chair. "She's a mean, cantankerous old woman!" she declared, fe

oison her?" Dallas

r-heard such a noise. I wouldn't be a trained nurse f

e you, Betty?" Jim asked imploringly

e back," she finished, "a

to his knees. "Oh, fair ministerin

ously. "She wants Bella