aught of himself in the gilt-framed mirror above the mantel
was reassuring. He picked up the wrap Phil had flung on the chair, and
laid it over her shoulders, while Lois stood by, her finger-tips resting
on the back of a chair. If she lacked in the essential qualities of a
lady, he at least could be a gentleman; and when he had donned his
overcoat, he bowed over her hand, with his best imitation of the
ambassadorial elegance which the Honorable Stewart King (son of Mrs.
John Newman King) had brought back to Montgomery from the Belgian Court.

"I'm glad to have had this opportunity, Mrs. Holton."

"Not a word to Phil!" The slightest inclination of her head, a
compression of the lips, the lifting of her brows, suggested that the
most prodigious secrets had been discussed. She was quite equal to
rubbing salt in the wounds she inflicted! He was in no mood for a
discussion of sunshine and shadow; the lecture would be a bore, but he
would have an hour and a half in which to plan revenge upon Mrs. Holton.
As the carriage rattled toward Masonic Hall, Phil talked gayly of the
afternoon's tea.

When they reached the hall the lecturer was just walking onto the
platform, and Charles saw with elation that Phil and he shared public
attention with the orator. As they took their seats there was much
craning of necks. Lois's return had set all manner of rumors afloat. It
had been said that she had come back to keep Phil out of the clutches of
the Holtons; and here was Phil with Charlie Holton. Glances of surprise
were exchanged. It was plain that Lois was not interfering with Phil's
affairs. Possibly the appearance of the two just now had a special
significance. It was tough on Tom Kirkwood, though, that his daughter
should be thrown in the way of a son of the House of Holton! The pastor
of Center Church introduced the lecturer to an inattentive audience.

* * * * *

At the end there was the usual "visiting," and Phil remained perforce to
take her part in it. Phil had enjoyed the lecture; Phil always enjoyed
everything! Charles, with her cloak on his arm, made himself agreeable
to a visiting girl to whom Phil entrusted him while she obeyed a command
from Mrs. King to meet the speaker.

Wayland Brown Bayless was encircled by a number of leading citizens and
citizenesses. Judge Walters was in the group, and Captain Joshua Wilson,
and Mr. and Mrs. Alec Waterman, and General and Mrs. Wilks, and the wife