e of the intention to speak plainly to Rachel.

"Who are your friends?" he asked. Just then he caught a glimpse of
Fairfax's face. He turned very cold.

"Mr. Fairfax is giving a luncheon for two of the grand-opera people,"
she explained.

He forced his courage. "I don't want you to have anything more to do
with that man," he said. "He's a scoundrel."

"Now, don't be silly," she cried. "What train are you going out on?"

"I don't know. Maybe I'll stay in. I'll go up to your flat, I guess,
for a couple of days. Phoebe's all right. She's over the diphtheria
now----"

"Diphtheria?" gasped Nellie, wide-eyed, overlooking his other
declaration, which, by the way, was of small moment.

"Almost died, poor kiddie."

She flared up in an instant. "Why wasn't I told? What were you
thinking of, you little fool?"

"If you had taken the trouble to come out to Tarrytown, you could have
found out for yourself," he retorted, coolly. "Now, see here, Nellie,
I've come in to see you and to have a very plain talk with you. So
just hold your horses. Don't fly off the handle. I am the head of this
family and I'm going to boss it from this time on."

"You----" she began, in a furious little shriek, her eyes blazing. She
caught herself up in time. Two or three people nearby looked up at the
sound of her raised voice. She lowered it to a shrill, intense
half-whisper. "What do you mean by coming here in this way? Everybody
is laughing at me. You make me ridiculous. I won't stand for it; do
you hear?"

He was colder if possible than before, but he was resolute.

"We've got to have an understanding, the sooner the better," he said,
quietly.

"Yes, you're right," she repeated; "the sooner the better."

"We can't talk here," he said, suddenly conscious that the eyes of
many were upon them. "Go over and ask that infernal sneak to excuse
you, and we'll go up to the flat."

"I'm going motoring this aft----"

"You do as I tell you!" said he, in a strange voice.

"Why, Harvey----" she stammered, catching her breath.

"When you've had your coffee," he added.

She sipped her coffee in silence, in wonder, in bitter resentment. He
munched the club sandwich and sucked the coffee through his thin
moustache with a vehemence that grated on her nerves terribly.

"I've had all I want," she said, suddenly putting the little cup down
with a crash.

"Then go over and tell 'em you've got to go home."

She crossed the room, red-faced and angry