t!"

"You do not know him! Such hearts . . ."

Janina hastily interrupted him: "Let us not speak of hearts where on
one side they do not at all enter into the question, where they are
entirely lacking and there is only an insane . . ."

"So then? . . ." he asked rising, for he was choking with a spasm of
anger.

The bell in the hall rang sharply, evidently pulled violently by
someone.

"I will never return," said Janina with final determination.

"Janina . . . have mercy . . ."

"I do not understand that word," she answered with emphasis, "and I
repeat: never! unless it be . . . after I am dead."

"Don't say that, for . . ."

He did not finish for the door suddenly swung wide open and Mimi
with Wawrzecki came rushing in.

"Well, are you coming? Hurry and dress yourself, for we start
immediately! . . . Ah, I beg your pardon, I did not know you had a
visitor," cried Mimi, observing Grzesikiewicz who took his hat,
bowed automatically, and, without looking at anyone, whispered.

"Good-bye."

And without more ado he left.

Janina sprang up as though she wished to detain him, but Kotlicki
and Topolski were just then entering and greeted her jocularly.
After them came some third person.

"What sort of broad gentleman was that? As I live, it is the first
time that I saw such a mass of meat in a surtout!" cried that third
comer.

"This is Mr. Glogowski. In a week we are to present his play and in
a month he will be famous throughout Europe!" said Wawrzecki,
introducing him.

"And in three months my fame will reach Mars with all its
appurtenances! . . . If you are going to bluff, at least let it be a
good bluff" laughed Glogowski.

Janina greeted them all, and in a subdued voice answered Mimi who
was asking her about Grzesikiewicz: "An old friend of mine and
former neighbor, a very honest man . . ."

"He must be flushed with money, that youth . . . he looks it!"
exclaimed Glogowski.

"Yes, he is wealthy. His family owns the largest sheep-growing ranch
in Congressional Poland . . ."

"A shepherd! . . . he rather looks as though he were a keeper of
elephants! . . ." jested Wawrzecki.

Kotlicki only smiled and discreetly observed Janina.

"Something must have happened here . . . for her voice shows she is
deeply moved," he thought. "Perhaps that was her former
lover? . . ."

"Come, hurry, for Mela is waiting downstairs in a hack," cried Mimi
impatiently.

Janina dressed hastily and they all went o