o
such positive natures as Madelene's and Adelaide's would be harmonious
under the same roof. "What's more," she reflected, "there may be a
baby--babies."

Within a fortnight of Del's return, and before she and Dory had got
quite used to each other again, she fixed on an abode. "Mrs. Dorsey was
here this afternoon," said she, with enthusiasm which, to Dory's acute
perceptions, seemed slightly exaggerated, in fact, forced, "and offered
us her house for a year, just to have somebody in it whom she could trust
to look after things. You know she's taking her daughter abroad to
finish. It was too good a chance to let pass; so I accepted at once."

Dory turned away abruptly. With slow deliberation he took a cigarette
from his case, lighted it, watched the smoke drift out at the open
window. She was observing him, though she seemed not to be. And his
expression made her just a little afraid. Unlike most men who lead
purely intellectual lives, he had not the slightest suggestion of
sexlessness; on the contrary, he seemed as strong, as positive
physically, as the look of his forehead and eyes showed him to be
mentally. And now that he had learned to dress with greater care, out of
deference to her, she could find nothing about him to help her in
protecting herself by criticising him.

"Do you think, Del," said he, "that we'll be able to live in that big
place on eighteen hundred a year?"

It wasn't as easy for him thus to remind her of their limited means as it
theoretically should have been. Del was distinctly an expensive-looking
luxury. That dress of hers, pale green, with hat and everything to match
or in harmony, was a "simple thing," but the best dressmaker in the Rue
de la Paix had spent a great deal of his costly time in producing that
effect of simplicity. Throughout, she had the cleanness, the freshness,
the freedom from affectations which Dory had learned could be got only by
large expenditure. Nor would he have had her any different. He wanted
just the settings she chose for her fair, fine beauty. The only change he
would have asked would have been in the expression of those violet eyes
of hers when they looked at him.

"You wish I hadn't done it!" she exclaimed. And if he had not glanced
away so quickly he would have seen that she was ready to retreat.

"Well, it's not exactly the start I'd been thinking of," replied he,
reluctantly but tentatively.

It is not in human nature to refuse to press an offered ad