his unwelcome responsibility, and Isabelle was interested because she
had arranged a coup for the moment.

Wally had assured Jerry, by wire, that a teacher from the school would
meet Isabelle at the station. Isabelle, in the meantime, had wired Miss
Vantine that a change of plans made it unnecessary for the teacher to
meet the train. She signed the telegram with her father's name. She
awaited the moment when Jerry realized that he was not to be rid of her,
with considerable excitement.

Arrived in New York at ten o'clock, she preserved a demure silence while
he stormed up and down the station looking for the teacher. He was
finally convinced that there was no one to meet them.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked.

"Come along," he replied, ungraciously, bundling her into a cab.

They went to a studio building and Jerry pounded on somebody's door for
ten minutes, in vain. Then he tried another.

"None of your friends care to see us, Jerry," grinned Isabelle. Finally
he unlocked a door and turned on a light.

"This is your place, Jerry," she cried; and she began a swift inspection.

"You can turn in here for the night, and in the morning I will take you
to the school."

"Where will you sleep?"

"At a club."

"And leave me in this spooky place alone? I won't stay."

"Don't you see that I cannot take you around town at this hour of the
night looking for lodgings?"

"I'll go in the bedroom, and you can sleep on the couch. I won't stay
here alone."

Eventually he telephoned a friend of his, named Miss Jane Judd. He
invited her to stay with Isabelle. He even went and brought her and
explained to her that he would call for Isabelle in the morning.

"Oh, Jerry, don't leave me," cried Isabelle, clinging to him. "I don't
want to stay with this strange woman. I want to go with you--always,
Jerry--because I love you so. Won't you take me, Jerry?"

"Don't be a little goose, Isabelle."

"Please don't hate me, Jerry," she sobbed.

"I don't hate you when you're sensible."

"Won't you call me Cr-Cricket, just once, Jerry?"

"If you'll be a good girl and go to bed."

"Kiss me good-night."

"I'll do nothing of the kind. Miss Judd, take charge of this crazy kid.
I'll be back in the morning," he said, desperately, as he escaped.

Isabelle wept, more from weariness and chagrin than anything else, but
a sort of amused patience on Miss Judd's part caused her to cut short
any histrionic display. As they p