es you'd be the first to resent it."

Kenneth laughed.

"Oh, you mustn't mind that. It's a way all foreigners have. They ogle
women more from force of habit than any desire to effect a conquest.
Besides, you won't be alone."

"No, I shall have Ray. She is excellent company--far jollier than
I----"

Kenneth protested.

"No, she isn't by a long shot. Ray is all right as sisters-in-law go,
but I'd never change you for her. I'm d----d if I would!"

Quickly Helen put her white hand over his mouth. With mock severity
she exclaimed:

"Kenneth! How can you be so profane? I hate to hear such language
from you. Ray is the sweetest thing on earth. It's a shame she never
got married. Oh, don't be uneasy on that score. We'll have a good
time. We'll go to the theater. We'll have teas and little dinner
parties. I'll invite some interesting men to meet her. I'd love to
see her married to some nice man. There's Mr. Steell, for instance.
He's rich, young, has a brilliant future----"

Kenneth made a grimace. Quickly he retorted:

"It's you he admires, not Ray. He will accept your invitation--less
with the idea of letting Ray hook him in the matrimonial net, than for
the opportunity it affords for a renewed flirtation with you. Oh,
quite innocent, of course, but still a flirtation. Have I forgotten
what close friends you used to be before I appeared on the scene?"

"And carried me off, a new Lochinvar come out of the West!" she
laughed. "Oh, Kenneth, how can you be so foolish? It is absolutely
indecent of you. I like Mr. Steell, and I think he likes me, but our
friendship is purely platonic. I never give him a thought, I assure
you."

"I know you don't, but I'm not so sure about him. He's a man and men
are only human----"

"He's a gentleman," corrected Helen. "He never forgets that."

Kenneth gave a grunt of incredulity. Sulkily he said:

"All right--all right. Have a good time. Marry him to Ray. Perhaps
it's safer that way. When he's my brother-in-law, he'll stop making
sheep's eyes at my wife."

Helen laughed outright.

"You silly goose. I never suspected you of having a jealous streak in
your nature. How could I prefer anyone to my handsome Kenneth?"

As she stood before him, playfully patting his cheek, her glance
alighted on the solitary lock of gray hair in the center of his
forehead. Toying with it, she went on:

"Isn't it strange that your hair should be white just in that