ought home by horses and wagons. Oh, no. But you'll go shopping with
Beatrice and pick out her jewellery and tell her jewels have souls and
a lot more bunk, and then get a commission as soon as her back is
turned! Why don't you get me a diamond instead, and omit the bunk?
I'll take one with a flaw--I'm used to seconds. You must believe me
when I say that, because I married you."

Gay no longer feared Trudy; in fact, he felt he had little use for
her. She was an obstacle to his making an excellent marriage. Through
Trudy and all the rest of the complicated ladder climbing he was now
recognized, and real men were extremely busy these days getting the
tag ends of war-debris business in shape. It was quite a different
situation--he could have had his choice of several widows. Take it all
in all, he preferred a matron, his days at playing with debutantes
were in the discard. The business of buying and selling antiques and
interior decorating had so inflated his one-cylinder brain that he
really fancied he needed a mature companionship and understanding.

"I'll buy you a diamond ring, old dear," he said, lightly, "when you
have me in a corner, hands up--so set your wits to work and see what
you can do about it."

It was over their hurried breakfast that the discussion took place,
with Trudy, quite a fright in a tousled boudoir cap and neglige,
scuttling about the dining room with the breakfast tray and planning
to send out bills, reorder some draperies, and call up her friends
until one of them should offer to take her to a fashionable morning
musical in the near future. After which she would go down town and
make good at her star act--window wishing.

"You make me so tired I wonder why I don't clear out," she retorted.
"You think I'm afraid to buy a diamond ring and charge it to you?
Watch me!"

"Just try it and see what will happen."

"I will, kind sir." Dropping him a curtsy, Trudy repaired to do the
dishes and swiggle an oil mop about the floor briefly. Then she burnt
some scented powder and pulled down the window shades. This
constituted getting the establishment in order, the slavey having gone
tootling off on a party some days before.

Trudy did not refer to the breakfast-table discussion before she left
the apartment. She was dangerously sweet, and even went into Gay's
room, where he was donning his gray-velvet studio blouse for the
morning's labours. She told him she was quite sure of securing a
fairly good-