ich he much disliked. From Patty he learnt that she went
about a good deal and seemed to enjoy herself.

"We don't always go together," said the girl. "Yesterday and the day
before Eve was away by herself all the afternoon. Of course she can get
on all right with her French. She takes to Paris as if she'd lived here
for years."

On the day after, Hilliard received a postcard in which Eve asked him
to be in a certain room of the Louvre at twelve o'clock. He kept the
appointment, and found Eve awaiting him alone.

"I wanted to ask whether you would mind if we left the hotel and went
to live at another place?"

He heard her with surprise.

"You are not comfortable?"

"Quite. But I have been to see my friend Mdlle. Roche--you remember.
And she has shown me how we can live very comfortably at a quarter of
what it costs now, in the same house where she has a room. I should
like to change, if you'll let me."

"Pooh! You're not to think of the cost----"

"Whether I am to or not, I do, and can't help myself. I know the hotel
is fearfully expensive, and I shall like the other place much better.
Miss Roche is a very nice girl, and she was glad to see me; and if I'm
near her, I shall get all sorts of advantages--in French, and so on."

Hilliard wondered what accounts of herself Eve had rendered to the
Parisienne, but he did not venture to ask.

"Will Patty like it as well?"

"Just as well. Miss Roche speaks English, you know, and they'll get on
very well together."

"Where is the place?"

"Rather far off--towards the Jardin des Plantes. But I don't think that
would matter, would it?"

"I leave it entirely to you."

"Thank you," she answered, with that intonation he did not like. "Of
course, if you would like to meet Miss Roche, you can."

"We'll think about it. It's enough that she's an old friend of yours."

CHAPTER XV

When this change had been made Eve seemed to throw off a burden. She
met Hilliard with something like the ease of manner, the frank
friendliness, which marked her best moods in their earlier intercourse.
At a restaurant dinner, to which he persuaded her in company with
Patty, she was ready in cheerful talk, and an expedition to Versailles,
some days after, showed her radiant with the joy of sunshine and
movement. Hilliard could not but wonder at the success of his
prescription.

He did not visit the girls in their new abode, and nothing more was
said of his making the acquaintance