d and made his peace with the Cosmic Urge. Mrs. Ashton
Parker is an aunt of mine, long a widow, and a most delightful,
easy-going, wide-awake, and sympathetic old lady, who has made her home
in Santa Barbara ever since her husband's death there. Her Spanish villa
and gardens are famous, and her always kindly eccentricities scarcely
less famous than they. I could imagine no one more certain to captivate
Susan or to be instantly captivated by her; and though I had not seen
Aunt Belle for more than ten years, I knew I could count on her in
advance to fall in with my plan. Her hospitality is notorious and would
long since have beggared anyone with an income less absurd. Susan should
go there at once, for a month at least; the whole thing could be
arranged by telegraph. Why in heaven's name hadn't I thought of and
insisted upon this plan before!

Miss O'Neill, in person, opened the front door for me.

"Oh, Mr. Hunt!" she wailed. "Thanks to goodness you're here early. I
can't do nothing with Togo. He won't eat no breakfast, and he won't let
nobody touch him. He's sitting up there like a--I don't know what, with
his precious tail uncurled and his head sort of hanging down--it'll
break your heart to look at him! I can't bear to myself, though I'd
never no use for the beast, neither liking nor disliking! He's above his
station, I say. But what with all---- And I've got to get that room
cleared and redone by twelve, feelings or no feelings, and Gawd knows
feelings _will_ enter in! Not half Miss Susan's class either, the new
party just now applied, and right beside my own room, too, though well
recommended, so I can't complain!"

I broke through her dusty web of words with an impatient, "What on earth
are you talking about, Miss O'Neill?"

"You don't know?" she gasped. "You don't----"

"I most certainly do not. Where's Miss Susan?"

"Oh, Mr. Hunt! If I'd-a knowed she hadn't even spoke to you! And you
with her all evening--treating to dinner and all! But thank Gawd it's a
reel lady she went away with! Miss Leslie, in her big limousine, that's
often been here! _That_ I can swear to you with my own eyes!"

Susan was gone, and gone beyond hope of an immediate return. There is no
need to labor the details of her flight. A letter, left for me with Miss
O'Neill, gives all the surface facts essential.

"_Dear Ambo_: Try not to be angry with me; or too
hurt. When I left you last night I decided to
sei