nonchalant gesture. "Oh, he's giving a
lecture on butling."

The bewildered Miss Burton did not catch the text of this explanation.
In her increasing agitation she wrung her hands in her muff and almost
sobbed:

"I'm sure I don't know what to do. I simply must get word to him
somehow. It's awfully important."

Whitney Barnes saw the trembling lip and the dampening eye and strove
to avert a catastrophe that would probably double the difficulty of
probing into the mystery. Turning to Gladwin, but half directing his
remarks to Helen, he said:

"I've just been telling the ladies that you and Travers are bosom
pals."

Travers Gladwin flashed one look of amazement and then caught on.

"Oh, yes," he cried, "we are very close to each other--I couldn't
begin to tell you how close."

"And I have also hinted," pursued Barnes, "that you never have any
secrets from each other, and that I felt sure that you knew all
about--all about--a--a er--to-night."

"Oh, of course," assented Gladwin, beginning to warm up to his part
and feel the rich thrill of the mystery involved. "Yes, yes--of
course--he's told me all about to-night."

"Has he?" gasped Helen, looking into the young man's brown eyes for
confirmation, feeling that she liked the eyes, but uncertain that she
read the confirmation.

"Yes, everything," lied Gladwin, now glowing with enthusiasm.

All this while the shy and silent Sadie had remained demurely in her
chair looking from one to the other and vainly endeavoring to catch
the drift of the conversation.

Sadie was too dainty a little soul to be possessed of real reasoning
faculties. The one thought that had been uppermost in her mind all day
was that Helen was taking a desperate step, probably embarking upon
some terrible tragedy. She had hungered for an opportunity to compare
notes with some sturdier will than her own and the instant she heard
Travers Gladwin admit that he "knew all about to-night" she rose from
her chair and asked, breathlessly, turning up her big, appealing eyes
to Travers Gladwin:

"Then won't you--oh, please, won't you--tell her what you think of
it?"

There was something so naive and innocent in Sadie's attitude and
expression that Whitney Barnes was charmed. It also tickled his soul
to see how thoroughly his friend was stumped. So to add to Travers's
confusion he chimed in:

"Oh, yes, go on and tell her what you think of it."

"I'd rather not," said Gladwin ponderously, trying t