ent. "I
know he isn't hurt," she said, "because I should feel it. But I wish the
telegram had said." She hardly believed herself, apparently, for she
buried her head in the pillow, and began to sob quietly. "If I only had
said good-bye," she moaned.

Early the next morning Watts found Leonore in the hall.

"How pale my Dot is!" he exclaimed.

"I didn't sleep well," said Leonore.

"Aren't you going to ride with me?"

"No. I don't feel like it this morning," said Leonore.

As Watts left the hall, a servant entered it.

"I had to wait, Miss D'Alloi," he said. "No papers are for sale till
eight o'clock."

Leonore took the newspaper silently and went to the library. Then she
opened it and looked at the first column. She read it hurriedly.

"I knew he wasn't hurt," she said, "because I would have felt it, and
because he had my luck piece." Then she stepped out of one of the
windows, called Betise to her, and putting her arms about his neck,
kissed him.

When the New York papers came things were even better, for they recorded
the end of the strike. Leonore even laughed over that big, big D. "I
can't imagine him getting so angry," she said "He must have a temper,
after all." She sang a little, as she fixed the flowers in the vases,
and one of the songs was "Happiness." Nor did she snub a man who hinted
at afternoon tea, as she had a poor unfortunate who suggested tennis
earlier in the day.

While they were sipping their tea, however, Watts came in from the club.

"Helen," he said, going to the bay window farthest from the tea-table,
"come here I want to say something."

They whispered for a moment, and then Mrs. D'Alloi came back to her tea.

"Won't you have a cup, papa?" asked Leonore.

"'Not to-day, dear," said Watts, with an unusual tenderness in his
voice.

Leonore was raising a spoon to her mouth, but suddenly her hand trembled
a little. After a glance at her father and mother, she pushed her
tea-cup into the centre of the table as if she had finished it, though
it had just been poured. Then she turned and began to talk and laugh
with the caller.

But the moment the visitor was out of the room, Leonore said:

"What is it, papa?"

Watts was standing by the fire. He hesitated. Then he groaned. Then he
went to the door. "Ask your mother," he said, and went out of the room.

"Mamma?" said Leonore.

"Don't excite yourself, dear," said her mother. "I'll tell you
to-morrow."

Leonore was on her feet.