ard into the white
matter of his brain cells.

"What is some one at the door for?" he asked vacuously.

"To see you, of course," snapped Barnes.

"Nonsense!" exclaimed the other with annoyance. "The house has been
closed for ages and you are the only one who knows I am home. Why
I"----

Bateato skimmed in, grinning like a full moon.

"Well, what is it?" his master asked, shortly,

"Two ladies, sair!"

"Two--that's good!" chimed in Barnes. "They must have got a wireless
that I was here."

"What do they want?" Gladwin addressed Bateato.

"You, sair," replied the Jap. "They say you come to door one minute."

"Two ladies to see me? Are you sure?" Travers Gladwin was both
bewildered and embarrassed.

"Ees, sair!" Bateato assured him.

"Did you tell them that I was here?"

"They no ask. They say, 'Please, Mr. Gladwin come to door!'"

"Well, you tell them Mr. Gladwin is not at home--that I'm out,
away--in Egypt."

"Ees, sair," and Bateato was about to skim out into the hallway again
when Barnes stopped him.

"Wait a minute, Bateato--what do they look like?"

"Look nice, sair," and Bateato's moon-like grin returned in full
beam.

"You're sure?" asked Barnes, gravely.

"Oh, fine," uttered the Jap, enthusiastically.

"Young?" inquired Barnes.

"Ees, sair--much young--come in autbile. I tell them you no home?"
turning to Gladwin.

"No, wait," responded Gladwin, his curiosity taking fire. "You tell
them to come in."

"They say you come door."

"Very well," but Whitney Barnes stopped him.

"Better see them in here, Travers. If they really want to see you
they'll come in. Ask them to come in, Bateato."

The little Jap was gone with the speed and noiselessness of a mouse.

"Who in heaven's name can it be?" whispered Travers Gladwin as Bateato
could be heard lisping in the vestibule. Before Whitney Barnes managed
to frame a reply a swift, muffled step was audible and Helen Burton
stood framed in the narrow space between the portieres. Her timid
cousin stopped behind her, staring timidly over her shoulder. She was
manifestly surprised and startled as she paused and regarded the two
young men.

In point of startled surprise, however, Travers Gladwin's emotion
matched hers. He stared at her almost rudely in his amazement and
involuntarily he turned to Whitney Barnes and said under his breath:

"The grapefruit girl!"

Whitney Barnes's lips merely framed: "No! You don't mean it!"

He was going to