t wings and shrieking from
his perch" 449

"'And they--the majority of them--are, after all, just men'" 453

"His thoughts were mostly centred on Valerie" 458

"Ogilvy ... began a lively fencing bout with an imaginary adversary" 479

"Then Rita came silently on sandalled feet to stand behind him and look
at what he had done" 483

"'You'd better understand, Kelly, that Rita Tevis is as well born as I
am'" 491

"She knelt down beside the bed and ... said whatever prayer she had in
mind" 507

"She was longer over her hair ... gathering it and bringing it under
discipline" 510

"'Yes,' she said, 'it is really great'" 521

"'I am scared blue. That's why I'm holding on to your hand so
desperately'" 531

THE COMMON LAW

CHAPTER I

There was a long, brisk, decisive ring at the door. He continued
working. After an interval the bell rang again, briefly, as though the
light touch on the electric button had lost its assurance.

"Somebody's confidence has departed," he thought to himself, busy with a
lead-weighted string and a stick of soft charcoal wrapped in silver
foil. For a few moments he continued working, not inclined to trouble
himself to answer the door, but the hesitating timidity of a third
appeal amused him, and he walked out into the hallway and opened the
door. In the dim light a departing figure turned from the stairway:

"Do you wish a model?" she asked in an unsteady voice.

"No," he said, vexed.

"Then--I beg your pardon for disturbing you--"

"Who gave you my name?" he demanded.

"Why--nobody--"

"Who sent you to me? Didn't anybody send you?"

"No."

"But how did you get in?"

"I--walked in."

There was a scarcely perceptible pause; then she turned away in the dim
light of the corridor.

"You know," he said, "models are not supposed to come here unless sent
for. It isn't done in this building." He pointed to a black and white
sign on his door which bore the words: "No Admittance."

"I am very sorry. I didn't understand--"

"Oh, it's all right; only, I don't see how you got up here at all.
Didn't the elevator boy question you? It's his business."

"I didn't come up on the elevator."

"You didn't _walk_ up!"

"Yes."

"Twelve stories!"

"Both elevators happened to be in service. Besides, I was not quite
certain that models were expected to use the elevators."

"Good Lord!" he exclaimed, "you must have wanted an engagement pretty
badly."

"Yes, I did."

He star