r, came to meet her, and drew her
forward impulsively.

"Oh, Miriam, you must meet our friend, Mr. Cameron. He has only just come
here to be with my husband in business, and we are going to love him, I
know." And so immediately Miriam found herself looking directly, and with
great pleasure, full into the merry eyes. The gown was beautiful upon
her, she knew it positively, whether Lem had been stirred by the vision
or not.

"Oh, she is lovely enough," said Billy Meredith plaintively. "But don't
be lured by her, Cameron. She is still in love with her husband."

Miriam smiled at her victim with disarming friendliness. "But I like to
be amused," she said. "And I have been married long enough now to feel
like playing again."

Cameron laughed at that, and the laughter fulfilled the promise of the
merry eye. Miriam was quite intoxicated with the game her husband had
taught her. That Eveley was a clever little thing, wasn't she?

"Suppose we dance then," Cameron suggested eagerly. "It is the approved
method of beginning to play."

"We resign you to your fate," sighed Billy Meredith once more. "I warned
you, you laughed me to scorn. Now plunge and die."

"He seems to think I am dangerous," said Miriam, as they stepped lightly
away to the call of the music.

"Well, far be it from me to say he is wrong. But I am sure you will prove
a charming playfellow. You seem fairly to match my own mood. I suppose we
can not climb trees and go nutting and fishing and wade in the creek as
we might have done together years ago, but if you will be patient and
teach me your way of playing in your ladyhood, I think you will find me
an apt, and certainly a willing playmate."

"Then let's begin to-morrow night. Come to my house, and let's play pool.
It is the most reckless thing we can do. I have a sweet little friend and
she has a deadly admirer, and they will come with us. She is very clever,
too, and full of fun. See, that is she there, dancing--the one with the
golden frock. Her name is Eveley Ainsworth and the solemn young man is
Nolan Inglish, and they are unannounced but accepted sweethearts. You are
not afraid of Friend Husband, then?"

"Not until Friend Husband gets afraid of me," he said.

Later in the evening, as they were having ices in a wonderful nook in the
ballroom, he said seriously, and with no laughter in the merry eyes:

"Are you trying to make a truant husband jealous? Just be frank with me,
and I will do my best. I