ent, his motor coat seeming to hang on his knock-kneed,
narrow-chested self.

It seemed Trudy had not been really well for some time. She was such
an ambitious little girl, he explained, excusing himself in the matter
at the outset. He had begged her to rest, to go away, even commanding
it, but she was so ambitious, and there was so much work on hand that
she stayed. It all began with a cold. Those low-cut waists and pumps
in zero weather. She would not take care of herself and she dragged
round, and refused medicine, and he, Gay, had done everything possible
under the circumstances; he wanted Mary to be quite clear as to this
point.

They finally reached the apartment house, where Gay clambered out and
offered Mary his left little finger as a means of support on the icy
walk. When she came into the front bedroom of the apartment--a shabby
room when one looked at it closely--and looked at Trudy she saw death
written in the thin white face bereft of rouge, the red curls lying in
limp confusion on the silly little head.

"Oh, Mary," Trudy began, coughing and trying to sit up, "I thought
you'd never come. Why, I'm not so sick----Gay, go outside and wait for
the doctor and the nurse. Just think, I'm going to afford a nurse. Oh,
the pain in the chest is something fierce." She had lapsed into her
old-time vernacular. "Every bone of me aches and my heart thumps as if
it was awful mad at me. I guess it ought to be, Mary. How good it is
to have you. Take off your things. Gee, that pain is some pain! Um--I
wonder if the doctor can help."

"Do you want me to stay all night?"

Mary was doing some trifle to make her more comfortable. Trudy seemed
too weak to answer but she smiled like a delighted child. She pointed
a finger, the one wearing the diamond ring, to a chair beside the
bed. Mary drew it up closer and sat down.

"Now, my dear, you must put on a warm dressing gown and something to
pad your chest--this nightgown is a farce," she said, sternly, rising.
"Where shall I find something? Oh, Trudy--don't!"

Trudy had halfway lifted herself in bed with sudden pain, moaning and
laughing in terrible fashion. Mary caught her in her arms. Trudy lay
back, quite contented.

"My, but I've been a bluff," she said, tears on the white, shiny
cheeks. "Gee, but that doctor takes his time, too. I had to beg
something great before husband would go for you. He's awful mean, but
I always told you he was, and he would have a fine time if