ou must know, I was reading 'Bocaccio'"

He could hear her laughing.

"I was meaning to ask you how you'd spent the day," he began. "Haven't
you been out at all?"

"Oh, yes. I'm not under vows, Kelly."

"Where?"

"Now I wonder whether I'm expected to account for every minute when I'm
not with you? I'm beginning to believe that it's a sort of monstrous
vanity that incites you to such questions. And I'm going to inform you
that I did _not_ spend the day sitting by the window and thinking about
you."

"What _did_ you do?"

"I motored in the Park. I lunched at Woodmanston with a perfectly good
young man. I enjoyed it."

"Who was the man?"

"Sam."

"Oh," said Neville, laughing.

"You make me perfectly furious by laughing," she exclaimed. "I wish I
could tell you that I'd been to Niagara Falls with Jose Querida!"

"I wouldn't believe it, anyway."

"I wouldn't believe it myself, even if I had done it," she said,
naively. There was a pause; then:

"I'm going to retire. Good night."

"Good night, Valerie."

"Louis!"

"What?"

"You say the golden-cloud machinery isn't working?"

"It seems to have slipped a cog."

"Oh! I thought you might have mended it and that--perhaps--I had better
not leave my window open."

"That cloud is warranted to float through solid masonry."

"You alarm me, Kelly."

"I'm sorry, but the gods never announce their visits."

"I know it.... And I suppose I must sleep in a dinner gown. When one
receives a god it's a full-dress affair, isn't it?"

He laughed, not mistaking her innocent audacity.

"Unexpected Olympians must take their chances," he said. "... Are you
sleepy?"

"Fearfully."

"Then I won't keep you--"

"But I hope you won't be rude enough to dismiss me before I have a
chance to give you your _conge_!"

"You blessed child. I could stay here all night listening to you--"

"Could you? That's a temptation."

"To you, Valerie?"

"Yes--a temptation to make a splendid exit. Every girl adores being
regretted. So I'll hang up the receiver, I think.... Good night, Kelly,
dear.... Good night, Louis. _A demain!--non--pardon! a bien
tot!--parceque il est deux heures de matin! Et--vous m'avez rendu bien
heureuse._"

CHAPTER V

Toward the last of June Neville left town to spend a month with his
father and mother at their summer Lome near Portsmouth. Valerie had
already gone to the mountains with Rita Tevis, gaily refusing her
address to everybody. And,