so--I had to
risk it."

Juliet's charming brown head was buried so deep in the pillows that only
its back with the masses of waving, half-rumpled hair was visible. But up
from the depths came a smothered question:

"The photograph?"

Anthony's face lightened as if the sun had struck it, but he kept his
voice quiet. "Borrowed--it's my old friend Dennison's. I never even saw
the girl--though I ought to beg her pardon for the use I have made of her
face. She's married now, and lives abroad somewhere. Will you forgive
me?"

He was standing over her, leaning down so that his cheek touched the
rumpled hair. "How is it, Juliet? Could you live in the little home--with
love--and me?"

It was a long time before he got any answer. But at last a flushed, wet,
radiant face came into view, an arm was reached out, and as with an
inarticulate, deep note of joy he drew her up into his embrace, a voice,
half tears, half laughter, cried:

"Oh, Tony--you dear, bad, darling, insolent boy! I did think I could do
without you--but I can't. And--oh, Tony"--she was sobbing in his arms now,
while he regarded the top of her head with laughing, exultant eyes--"I'm
so glad--so glad--_so glad_--there isn't any Eleanor Langham! Oh, _how_ I
hated her!"

"Did you, sweetheart?" he answered, laughing aloud now. Then bending, with
his lips close to hers--"well, to tell the truth--to tell the honest
truth, little girl--_so did I_!"

VII.--AN ARGUMENT WITHOUT LOGIC

"I don't like it," repeated Mr. Horatio Marcy, obstinately, and shook his
head for the fifth time. "I've not a word to say against Anthony, my
dear--not a word. He's a fine fellow and comes of a good family, and I
respect him and the start he has made since things went to pieces,
but----"

Juliet waited, her eyes downcast, her cheeks very much flushed, her mouth
in lines of mutiny.

"But--" her father continued, settling back in his chair with an air of
decision, "you will certainly make the mistake of your life if you think
you can be happy in the sort of existence he offers you. You're not used
to it. You've not been brought up to it. You can spend more money in a
forenoon than he can earn in a twelve-month. You don't know how to adapt
yourself to life on a basis of rigid economy. I----"

"You don't forbid it, sir?"

"Forbid it?--no. A man can't forbid a twenty-four year old woman to do as
she pleases. But I advise you--I warn you--I ask you seriously to consider
wha