she merely wanted to put him in a corner where he would have to stand
and get it over with.

Fairfax was disconcerted. He showed it. No one ever presumed to
discuss the matter with him. It was a very tender subject. His eyes
wavered.

"I like your cheek," he growled.

"Don't you like to talk about it?" she inquired, innocently.

"No," he replied, curtly. "It's nobody's business, Miss Duluth."

"My, how touchy!" She shivered prettily. "I feel as if some one had
thrown a pail of ice water over me."

"We were speaking of your--this husband of yours," he said, quietly.
"Why have you never mentioned him to me? Is it quite fair?"

"It just slipped my mind," she said, in the most casual way. "Besides,
I thought you knew. My little girl is four--or is it five?"

"Where do you keep them?"

"I've got 'em in storage up at Tarrytown. That's the Sleepy Hollow
neighbourhood, isn't it? I guess that's why Harvey likes it so well."

"What is his business?"

She looked up quickly. "What is that to you, Mr. Fairfax?"

"Nothing. I am in no way interested in Mr. Duluth."

"His name isn't Duluth," she flashed, hotly. "If you are not
interested in him, let's drop the subject."

"I retract what I said. I am always interested in curiosities. What's
he like?"

"Well, he's like a gentleman, if you are really interested in
curiosities," she said.

He laughed. "By Jove, you've got a ready wit, my dear." He looked at
her reflectively, speculatively. "It's rather a facer to have you turn
out to be a married woman."

"Don't you like married women?"

"Some of 'em," he answered, coolly. "But I don't like to think of you
as married."

"Pooh!" she said, and there was a world of meaning in the way she said
it.

"Don't you know that it means a great deal to me?" he demanded,
leaning closer and speaking in a lowered voice, tense and eager.

"Pooh!" she repeated.

He flushed again. "I cannot bear the thought of you belonging----"

She interrupted him quickly. "I wouldn't say it, if I were you."

"But I must say it. I'm in love with you, Nellie, and you know it.
Every drop of blood in my veins is crying out for you, and has
been----"

Her face had clouded. "I've asked you not to say such things to me."

He stared in amazement. "You are dreaming! I've never uttered a word
of this sort to you. What are you thinking of? This is the first time
I've said----"

Nellie was dismayed. It was the first time he had spoken to her in