ine, on seeing him
take up his hat.

"Childish?--you call it childish?" he exclaimed, growing angry with
her, too. "Do you know what time it is? Three o'clock, you write me,
and it's now a quarter past five. I have sat here doing nothing for
over two mortal hours. It seems to me that's enough, without being made
the butt of your friends' wit into the bargain. I'm sick of the whole
thing. Good-bye."

"We seem bound to quarrel," said Madeleine calmly. "And always about
Louise. But there's no use in being angry. I am not responsible for
what Heinz says and does. And on the mere chance of his coming in
to-day, to sit down and unroll another savoury story to you, about your
idol--would you have thanked me for it? Remember the time I did try to
open you eyes!--It's not fair either to blame me because Louise hasn't
come. I did my best for you. I can't help it if she's as stable as
water."

"I think you dislike her too much to want to help it," said Maurice
grimly. He stood staring at the carnations, and his resentment gave way
to depression, as he recalled the mood which he had bought them.

"Come back as soon as you feel better. I'm not offended, remember!"
Madeleine called after him as he went down the stairs. When she was
alone, she said "Silly boy!" and, still smiling, made excuses for him:
he had come with such pleasurable anticipations, and everything had
gone wrong. Heinz had behaved disagracefully, as only he could. While
as for Louise, one was no more able to rely on her than on a wisp
straw; and she, Madeleine, was little better than a fool not to have
known it.

She moved about the room, putting chairs and papers in their places,
for she could not endure disorder of any kind. Then she sat down to
write a letter; and when, some half hour later, the girl for whom they
had waited, actually came, she met her with exclamations of genuine
surprise.

"Is it really you? I had given you up long ago. Pray, do you know what
time it is?"

She took out her watch and dangled it before the other's eyes. But
Louise Dufrayer hardly glanced at it. As, however, Madeleine persisted,
she said: "I'm late, I know. But it was not my fault. I couldn't get
away."

She unpinned her hat, and shook back her hair; and Madeleine helped her
to take off her jacket, talking all the time. "I have been much annoyed
with you. Does it never occur to you that you may put other people in
awkward positions, by not keeping your word? But you are