ed lawyer?"

"My dear boy, I wasn't smiling at you! I was smiling at that nice Mr.
Jackson man."

"Molly, you're a liar! You know you hate that ass; you told me so
yourself yesterday!"

"All the more reason to smile at him. Billy, give me a cigarette."
She leaned towards him slightly as he offered her his case, and their
eyes met. Her breath came a little quicker as she read the message
blazing out of his, and then she looked away again. "And a match,
please," she continued quietly.

"Confound the match and the cigarette, too!" His voice was shaking.
"Molly, Molly, I know I'm mad! I know it's just the height of idiocy
from a so-called worldly point of view, but I can't help it. I've
tried and struggled; I've been away for two years and haven't seen you.
But, oh! my dear, the kisses you gave me when you were a flapper,
before you came out, before your mother got this bee in her bonnet
about some big marriage for you--those kisses are still burning my
lips. I can feel them now, princess, and the remembrance of 'em drives
me mad! I know I'm asking you to chuck your mother's ambitions; I know
I've got nothing to offer you, except the old name, which doesn't count
for much these days. But, oh! my lady, I just worship the very ground
you walk on. Is there just a chance for me? I'd simply slave for you,
if you'd let me!"

Through the closed door came stealing the soft music of a waltz, while
from another corner came the sound of a whispered tete-a-tete. Very
still was the girl as she sat in the big arm-chair, with the man
pleading passionately at her side. Once she caught her breath quickly
when he recalled the time gone by--the time before her mother's
political ambitions had ruthlessly waged war on her, and done their
best to drive Nature out of her outlook on life; and, when he had
finished speaking, she gave a little tired smile.

"Billy boy," she whispered, "is that how you've felt about it all this
while?"

He made no answer, but, stretching out his hands, he took hold of her
two wrists.

"You've really remembered those kisses when we were kids?" she went on
softly.

"Remembered them? Dear heavens, my lady, I wouldn't lose that
remembrance for untold wealth! It's been with me in Alaska; it's been
with me in Hong Kong. I've woken up at nights with the feel of your
lips on mine, and all the glory of you, and the sweetness; and it's
helped me on when everything was black, and made things brigh