ou're in love with me, it will spoil
everything. It's funny," said Travis, drawing on her gloves. "We're
doing a funny thing, Condy. With ninety-nine people out of one
hundred, this little affair would have been all ended after our
'explanation' of last night--confessing, as we did, that we didn't love
each other. Most couples would have 'drifted apart'; but here we are,
planning to be chums, and have good times in our own original,
unconventional way--and we can do it, too. There, there, he's a
thousand miles away. He's not heard a single word I've said. Condy,
are you listening to me?"

"Blix," he murmured, staring at her vaguely. "Blix--you look that way;
I don't know, look kind of blix. Don't you feel sort of blix?" he
inquired anxiously.

"Blix?"

He smote the table with his palm. "Capital!" he cried; "sounds bully,
and snappy, and crisp, and bright, and sort of sudden. Sounds--don't
you know, THIS way?"--and he snapped his fingers. "Don't you see what
I mean? Blix, that's who you are. You've always been Blix, and I've
just found it out. Blix," he added, listening to the sound of the
name. "Blix, Blix. Yes, yes; that's your name."

"Blix?" she repeated; "but why Blix?"

"Why not?"

"I don't know why not."

"Well, then," he declared, as though that settled the question. They
made ready to go, as it was growing late.

"Will you tie that for me, Condy," she asked, rising and turning the
back of her head toward him, the ends of the veil held under her
fingers. "Not too tight. Condy, don't pull it so tight. There,
there, that will do. Have you everything that belongs to you? I know
you'll go away and leave something here. There's your cigarette case,
and your book, and of course the banjo."

As if warned by a mysterious instinct, the fat Chinaman made his
appearance in the outer room. Condy put his fingers into his vest
pocket, then dropped back upon his stool with a suppressed exclamation
of horror.

"Condy!" exclaimed Blix in alarm, "are you sick?"--for he had turned a
positive white.

"I haven't a cent of money," he murmured faintly. "I spent my last
quarter for those beastly crackers. What's to be done? What is to be
done? I'll--I'll leave him my watch. Yes, that's the only thing."

Blix calmly took out her purse. "I expected it," she said resignedly.
"I knew this would happen sooner or later, and I always have been
prepared. How much is it, John?" she asked of the Chinam