t in Arkwright, with curt emphasis.

"Humph! Well, that's what I think. But, about this marriage business.
Bertram admires a pretty face wherever he sees it--_to paint_, and
always has. Not but that he's straight as a string with women--I don't
mean that; but girls are always just so many pictures to be picked up
on his brushes and transferred to his canvases. And as for his settling
down and marrying anybody for keeps, right along--Great Scott! imagine
Bertram Henshaw as a _domestic_ man!"

Arkwright stirred restlessly as he spoke up in quick defense:

"Oh, but he is, I assure you. I--I've seen them in their home
together--many times. I think they are--very happy." Arkwright spoke
with decision, though still a little diffidently.

Calderwell was silent. He had picked up the little gilt band he had torn
from his cigar and was fingering it musingly.

"Yes; I've seen them--once," he said, after a minute. "I took dinner
with them when I was on, a month ago."

"I heard you did."

At something in Arkwright's voice, Calderwell turned quickly.

"What do you mean? Why do you say it like that?"

Arkwright laughed. The constraint fled from his manner.

"Well, I may as well tell you. You'll hear of it. It's no secret.
Mrs. Henshaw herself tells of it everywhere. It was her friend, Alice
Greggory, who told me of it first, however. It seems the cook was gone,
and the mistress had to get the dinner herself."

"Yes, I know that."

"But you should hear Mrs. Henshaw tell the story now, or Bertram.
It seems she knew nothing whatever about cooking, and her trials and
tribulations in getting that dinner on to the table were only one
degree worse than the dinner itself, according to her story. Didn't
you--er--notice anything?"

"Notice anything!" exploded Calderwell. "I noticed that Billy was so
brilliant she fairly radiated sparks; and I noticed that Bertram was so
glum he--he almost radiated thunderclaps. Then I saw that Billy's high
spirits were all assumed to cover a threatened burst of tears, and I
laid it all to him. I thought he'd said something to hurt her; and I
could have punched him. Great Scott! Was _that_ what ailed them?"

"I reckon it was. Alice says that since then Mrs. Henshaw has fairly
haunted the kitchen, begging Eliza to teach her everything, _every
single thing_ she knows!"

Calderwell chuckled.

"If that isn't just like Billy! She never does anything by halves. By
George, but she was game over that