illiam Grimsby was a familiar visitant. Shirley reeled
with steadied and studied equilibrium, into the foyer of the theatre,
as he nodded. Their seats were purposely in the rear of a side box, well
protected from the audience by the holders of the front positions. The
criminologist appeared to relapse into dreams of bygone days, while his
companion peered into the vast audience and then at the nimble limbed
chorus on the stage with piquant curiosity.

"For years I wanted to see an American stage and an American audience,"
she confided in an undertone, "and to think that when I do so, it is
acting myself, on the other side of the footlights in a stranger, more
dramatic part than any one else in the theatre. A curious world, isn't
it?"

Shirley breathed deeply, drinking in the maddening perfume of her
glorious hair, so perilously near his own face. The shimmer of her
shoulders, the adorable curves of that enticing scarlet mouth murmuring
so near his own, and yet so far away, in this soul-racking game of
make-believe, stirred his blood as nothing else had done in all the
kalaediscopic years.

"Yes, a more than curious world. How things have changed since last
evening when I planned a sleepy evening at the opera. I wonder what the
outcome will be?"

Helene looked up at him quickly, then as suddenly toward the Russian
danseuse within the golden frame of the great proscenium. The orchestra,
with its maddening Slavic music, stirred her pulses with a strange
telepathy. The evening wore along, until the final curtain. Shirley,
with cumbersome effort helped her with her cloak, dropping his hat and
stick more than once in simulated awkwardness. The electric numerals of
the carriage call soon brought the grimy-faced chauffeur.

"Jack on the spot, gov'nor, that's me!" and he swung the door open.

"We'll go get some supper--no, we'll take little 'scursion in Central
Park, first," and his voice was thick, "correct, cabbie. Drive us shru
Central Park."

"Are you going to take a chance in a dark park?" Helene asked him,
as they sat within the car, while the chauffeur cranked. Shirley was
sharply observing the man. A pedestrian crossed directly in front of the
machine, brushing against the driver, as he fumbled with the lamp. If
there were an interchange of words, the criminologist could not detect
it.

"Surely. The park is good. We can be free of interference from the
police. Are you afraid?"

"No--" yet, it was a pardonably