l friends. And
sometimes, when we want to get away from people, we'll dine by ourselves
and spend the night there. Then whenever you want to be at the saloons
or primaries we'll dine together there and I'll wait for you. And then I
think I'll go down sometimes, when I'm shopping, and lunch with you.
I'll promise not to bother you. You shall go back to your work, and I'll
amuse myself with your flowers, and books, till you are ready to go
uptown. Then we'll ride together."

"Lispenard frightened me the other day, but you frighten me worse."

"How?"

"He said you would be a much lovelier woman at thirty than you are now."

"And that frightened you?" laughed Leonore.

"Terribly. If you are that I shall have to give up law and politics
entirely, so as to see enough of you."

"But what has that to do with my lunching with you?"

"Do you think I could work at law with you in the next room?"

"Don't you want me? I thought it was such a nice plan."

"It is. If your other favor is like that I shan't know what to say. I
shall merely long for you to ask favors."

"This is very different. Will you try to understand me?"

"I shan't misunderstand you, at all events." Which was a crazy speech
for any man to make any woman.

"Then, dear, I want to speak of that terrible time--only for a moment,
dear. You mustn't think I don't believe what you said. I do! I do! Every
word of it, and to prove it to you I shall never speak of it again. But
when I've shown you that I trust you entirely, some stormy evening, when
we've had the nicest little dinner together at your rooms, and I've
given you some coffee, and bitten your cigar for you, I shall put you
down before the fire, and sit down in your lap, as I am doing now, and
put my arms about your neck so, and put my cheek so. And then I want
you, without my asking to tell me why you told mamma that lie, and all
about it."

"Dear-heart," said Peter, "I cannot tell. I promised."

"Oh, but that didn't include your wife, dear, of course. Besides, Peter,
friends should tell each other everything. And we are the best of
friends, aren't we?"

"And if I don't tell my dearest friend?"

"I shall never speak of it, Peter, but I know sometimes when I am by
myself I shall cry over it. Not because I doubt you, dear, but because
you won't give me your confidence."

"Do you know, Dear-heart, that I can't bear the thought of your doing
that!"

"Of course not, dear. That's the reason I tell