ry, and is close to the office, and if I missed any human nature at the spring I got it there. If you can't tell all about a man by the way he asks for mineral water a

g, who runs the news stand in the daytime,

e was all in white, with two red spots on her cheeks, and I thought if her prince could have seen her then he would pretty nearly have eaten her up. Mr. Thoburn was there, of course, pretending to read the paper, but every no

d, and he was so nervous he c

ve traced him to Salem, Ohio, but they lost him there. If we can

nutes," I told him. "I hope yo

uld he kiss her? Mrs. Van Alstyne is afraid

ld endure it," I

much of that sort of t

at me an

as sophisticated as you are for a

for that evening, with a red rose pinned on her so Mr. Pierce would know her. Miss Patty heard the sleigh-bells also, and she turned and came toward the door. Her mouth was set hard, an

and Mr. Sam's fur cap drawn well down on his head. He stood for an instant blinking in the light, and Mrs. Van Alstyne got up nervously. He never even saw her. His eyes lighted on

tairs, she turned so that the old cats sitting around could not see her and her face was scarlet. She went over to the wood fire-our lobby is a sort of bi

ave a nasty

s. Van Alstyne. "I dare say a sister doesn't

se, but she came to herself at that. She had some

don't think she had seen the other red rose, and what was she to think but that Mr. Pierce had known Miss Jennings some

her knee and squinting at it, "I should wish my fiancee to be more er-dignified. Those old A

or anybody could have seen

strian count who was a head waiter here. If there was anything in the way of osculation that that member of a

they had swallowed Mr. Pierce, bait and hook, and that for a time we were saved, although in the electric li

unto the day is

er and bought a cigar on his way up-stairs, and

't put a dancing floor in the di

ace until May. I'll get it when I'm ready for it. I had a good look at young

day, and a man can't travel far on buttered pop-corn. I found some chicken and got a bottle of the old doctor's wine-I had kep

nd as I was about to knock I heard

angrily. "I dare say you will even den

ause while I suppose h

id!" he sa

, but now I made it out. Some one else

. And I knew it was Mrs. Hut

ou also deny that you were in

o, but I posi

Mrs. Hutchins said, with a burst of rage, and her

hole story in the papers? Isn't it awful enough as it is? Mr. Carter

e letter. I-I haven't always done what I should, I dare say, but my conduct in the state of Ohio during the last few wee

d the room, and

Patty's voice. And th

" exclaimed

u deny

"I-I have never even heard of

Hutchins, and a creak as sh

over and over. "What ca

rnfully. "'You don't know;' 'there's a mistake;' 'you n

thing like hope in his voice. "We'll send for Mr. Van Als

s name is Sam, b

repeated Miss Pat

as collapsed in a chair, holding a wet handkerchief to her eyes, and one side of her cap was loose and hanging down. Miss Patty was s

I began. Then I stopped and stared at Mi

ce, very uncomfortable. "J

ut it on the table. Then I turn

at guests don't come to these rooms. They're strictly private. I

turned purple. She

urely personal matter," she said fu

said Miss Patty. "I'

holding it open. There wasn't any such rule, but I had to get them

d angrily. "Come, Nana! We're not learning anything, and there'

hins went

" she snapped to Mr. Pierce. "If you want to know why there are fewer guests here e

to say it, the spring being floored over, I reckon that most mineral springs cure by suggestion. Also, of course, if a man's drinking four gallons of

step toward Miss Patty

th the unhappiest face I ever saw on a man, "I-I've been rea

iss Patty coolly, looking b

he begged. "I came in suddenl

" she said again, r

the very way she trailed her skirt over the door-sill. But I'm no fool; it didn't need the way he touched

his name. And she, as you might say, on the ragged edge of royalty, with queens and princes se

ere I was putting his coffee to k

ff more than I can chew in this little undertaking, and that I'm in imminent danger o

e," I said, with a sort of chill going

"It seems that I met her on the train somewhere or other th

on the rug

-night, the proud possessor of a bunch of keys, a patent folding cork-screw and a pocket, automobile road map. Inside

the wicked get all the fun there is out of life, and as far as I can see, it's the respectable "in at

id. "But, of course, the papers will get it, and just

r w

ood sending presents, and the

you talk

' wedding. Don't you

he was up to that minute. He

Jennings," he said, and lighted a cigarette over the

my hand on his arm, and I think he was shaking. "If you do,

put a hand over mine. Then he looked at the door wh

d of men, knowing, as I have explained, a great deal about their stomachs and livers and very little about their hearts, there was something abo

st what the bi