nite figure and he expected them to limit themselves to
it. He made them distinctly understand that he reserved the right at
any time to withdraw his support, or transfer it to some other
_inamorata_, and he gave them the same privilege. While he consulted
only his own selfish pleasures, Brockton was not an uncharitable man.
He was always ready to help anyone who was unfortunate, and at heart he
sometimes felt sorry for these women who had to barter their self
respect to indulge their love of luxury. He hoped that some of them
would one day meet the right man and settle down to respectable married
life, but he insisted that such an arrangement could be possible only
by the honest admission on the woman's part of what she had been and
the thorough and complete understanding of her past by the man
involved. He was gruff and blunt in manner, yet well liked by his
intimates. They thought him a brute, almost a savage, but almost every
one agreed with Laura that he was "a pretty decent savage." She and the
broker had been pals for two years, and she had never been happier in
her life. He was most generous with his money and his close relations
with several prominent theatrical managers made it possible for him to
secure for her desirable engagements. There was no misunderstanding
between them. He knew exactly what she was and what she had been. He
any way. He always told her that whenever she felt it inconsistent with
her happiness to continue with him, it was her privilege to quit, and
he himself reserved the same right. As far as such an irregular marital
relation as this could be said to be desirable, it was an ideal
arrangement.

"How long will you be gone?" asked Laura, as she toyed with a lobster
claw and glanced around the cafe, to see who was there.

"I've no idea," answered Brockton. "I may return day after to-morrow or
I may be detained there a week or longer. It's a big job, you know--in
connection with floating a big issue of railroad bonds. There's a
barrel of money in it. I may not get back before you go to Denver."

The girl looked up at him quickly, and laying down her knife and fork,
leaned across the table. Resting her dimpled chin on her ungloved and
tapering hands, which were covered with blazing stones, she said with
more genuine feeling than she had yet shown:

"Oh, Will--it was awfully good of you to get me that engagement and let
me go. A number of girls I know were after it--some with far more
exp