and sauntered toward Neville, who regarded
him with a fixed stare.

"You see," he remarked with a shrug; and drew from his pocket a slightly
twisted scarf pin--a big horse-shoe set with sapphires and diamonds--the
kind of pin some kinds of men use in their riding-stocks.

"I've often seen him wearing it," he said carelessly. "Curious how it
could have become twisted and entangled in Miss West's lace waist."

He held out the pin, turning it over reflectively as the facets of the
gems caught and flashed back the light from the hall brackets.

"I'll drop it into the poor-box I think," he mused. "Cardemon will
remain away so long that this pin will be entirely out of fashion when
he returns."

After a few moments Neville drew a long, deep breath, and his clenched
hands relaxed.

"Sure," commented the burly doctor. "That's right--feeling better--rush
of common sense to the head. Well, I've got to go."

"Will you be here in the morning?"

"I think not. She'll be all right. If she isn't, send over for me."

"You don't think that the shock--the exhaustion--"

"Naw," said the big doctor with good-natured contempt; "she's going to
be all right in the morning.... She's a lovely creature, isn't she? Sam
said so. Sam has an eye for beauty. But, by jinks! I was scarcely
prepared for such physical perfection--h'm!--or such fine and nice
discrimination--or for such pluck.... God knows what people's families
want these days. If the world mated properly our best families would be
extinct in another generation.... You're one of 'em; you'd better get
diligent before the world wakes up with a rush of common sense to its
doddering old head." He gave him both hands, warmly, cordially:
"Good-bye, Louis."

Neville said: "I want you to know that I'd marry her to-morrow if she'd
have me, Billy."

The doctor lifted his eyebrows.

"Won't she?"

"No."

"Then probably you're not up to sample. A girl like that is no fool.
She'll require a lot in a man. However, you're young; and you may make
good yet."

"You don't understand, Billy--"

"Yes, I do. She wears a dinky miniature of you against her naked heart.
Yes, I guess I understand.... And I guess she's that kind of a girl all
unselfishness and innocence, and generous perversity and--quixotic
love.... It's too bad, Louis. I guess you're up against it for fair."

He surveyed the younger man, shook his head:

"They can't stand for her, can they?"

"No."

"And she won't stan