lice because she's impudent to him."

"I didn't mean to be impudent, but I couldn't lie down and let him prove
me what he called me."

"If you're that kind of a man I'm almost glad you're going to make me
marry you," she confided.

He leaned over her chair, his eyes shining. "I'll make you more than
almost glad, Valencia. You're going to learn what it is to--oh, damn
it!"

He was impersonally admiring her Whistler when the maid brushed aside
the portieres. She had come to bring Mrs. Van Tyle a telegram.

"No answer, Pratt."

After the maid had retired her mistress called James to her side. Over
her shoulder he read it.

"Glad he is an American and not living on his father. Didn't think you
had so much sense. Tell that young man I want to see him in New York
immediately."

The message was signed with the name of her father.

"What do you suppose he wants with you in New York?"

James was radiant. He kissed the perfect lips turned toward him before
he answered. "Oh, to make me president of the Transcontinental maybe.
How should I know? It's an olive branch. Isn't that enough?"

"When shall you go?"

He looked at his watch. "The limited leaves at nine-thirty. That gives
me nearly an hour."

"You're not going to-night?"

"I'm going to-night. I must, dear. Those are the orders and I've got to
obey them."

"But suppose I give you different orders. Surely I have some rights,
to-night of all nights. Why, we haven't been engaged ten minutes.
Business doesn't always come first."

James hesitated. "It's the last thing I want to do, but when Joe Powers
says 'Come!' I know enough to jump."

"But when I say stay?" she pleaded.

"Then I stop the prettiest mouth in the world with kisses and run away
before I hear the order." Gaily he suited the action to the word.

But, for once swift, she reached the door before him.

"Wait. Don't go, dear."

The last word came faintly, unexpectedly. The enticement of the appeal
went to his head. He had shaken her out of the indifference that was her
pride. One arm slipped round her waist. His other hand tilted back her
head until he could look into the eyes in which a new fire had been
kindled.

"What about that almost glad? If I stay will you forget all qualifying
words and be just glad?"

She nodded quickly, laughing ever so softly. "Yes, I'll help you listen
to the birds sing. Do you know I can almost hear them?"

James drew a deep breath and caught her swiftly to