ry--a way she'd
help him later; and when she danced out into the hall she was the very
happiest burglar in a world chock full of opportunities.

Oh, she was in such a twitter as she did it! All that old delight in
doing somebody else up, a vague somebody whose meannesses she didn't
know, was as nothing to the joy of doing Tausig up. She was dancing on
a volcano again, that incorrigible Nance! Oh, but such a volcano,
Maggie! It atoned for a year of days when there was nothing doing; no
excitement, no risk, nothing to keep a girl interested and alive.

And, Maggie darlin', it was a wonderful volcano, that ones that last
one, for it worked both ways. It paid up for what I haven't done this
past year and what I'll never do again in the years to come. It made
up to me for all I've missed and all I'm going to miss. It was a
reward of demerit for not being respectable, and a preventive of
further sins. Oh, it was such a volcano as never was. It was a drink
and a blue ribbon in one. It was a bang-up end and a bully beginning.
It was--

It was Tausig coming in as I was going out. Suddenly I realized that,
but I was in such a mad whirl of excitement that I almost ran over the
little fellow before I could stop myself.

"Phew! What a whirlwind you are!" he cried. "Where are you going?"

"Oh, good morning, Mr. Tausig," I said sweetly. "I never dreamed you'd
be down so early in the morning."

"What're you doing with the paper?" he demanded suspiciously.

My eye followed his. I could have beaten Nancy Olden in that minute
for not having sense enough to hide that precious agreement, instead of
carrying it rolled up in her hand.

"Just taking it home to go over it," I said carelessly, trying to pass
him.

But he barred my way.

"Where's Mason?" he asked.

"Poor Mason!" I said. "He's--he's asleep."

"Drunk again?"

I nodded. How to get away!

"That settles his hash. Out he goes to-day ... It seems to me you're
in a deuce of a hurry," he added, as I tried to get out again. "Come
in; I want to talk something over with you."

"Not this morning," I said saucily. I wanted to cry. "I've got an
engagement to lunch, and I want to go over this stuff for Mason before
one."

"Hm! An engagement. Who with, now?"

My chin shot up in the air. He laughed, that cold, noiseless little
laugh of his.

"But suppose I want you to come to lunch with me?"

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Tausig. But how could I break my e