he did not quite understand. She wished she had never allowed Steve
to draw her out of her businesslike attitude. However, when she
learned that he had very unexpectedly called off work for the rest of
the day to do his wife's bidding she told herself she was needlessly
alarmed, though it was always a rash thing to try exchanging her
heartache for a temporary joyful mirage!

The next evening, when Mary was in the throes of explaining this thing
in guarded fashion to Steve and Steve was arguing angrily and begging
for his welcome, Trudy Vondeplosshe happened in unexpectedly and very
much rejoiced inwardly at finding this delightful little tete-a-tete
in full progress.

Of course the couple gave business and the recent strike as an
alarming necessity for a private conference, and then Steve scuttled
away, leaving Mary to try to look unconscious and change the subject
to Trudy's new hat. But ever mindful of Mary's confession Trudy was
not to be swerved from the topic.

"I'm glad Beatrice was not with me," she said, sweetly, "for like all
heartless flirts she is jealous--ashamed of Steve half of the time and
mad about him the other half. I'd try to have the business all
transacted at the office. You used to. And Beatrice says business
isn't half as brisk as it was then."

The upshot of the matter resulted in Mary's applying for a two-months'
leave of absence. Spent in the Far North woods with Luke it would make
common sense win over starved dreams.

"I think I've earned it," was all she said to Steve.

"A year ago I went away and you stayed. Of course you have earned it.
But I am going to miss you."

The day before she left--it was well into July before she could
conscientiously see her way clear to go--she received a plaid steamer
rug. There was no card attached to the gift, and when she was summoned
to Steve's apartment to inform him about some matters, Steve having a
slight attack of grippe, she was so formal to both Steve and Beatrice,
who stayed in the room, making them very conscious of her apricot
satin and cream-lace presence, that Beatrice remarked later:

"It's a fortunate thing that she isn't going to visit the North Pole;
she'd be so chilly when she returned you'd have to wrap the entire
office in a warming pad. I was thinking this morning that with the way
she lives and manages she must have saved some money. Do you know if
she has--and how much? I hope you won't pay her her salary while she
is gone.