ut gradually all mercifulness,
all-pity, went out, and the fires which remained were not good to see.

He kissed her and she kissed him back.

XX

Feeling that she had been working too hard, being in much distress about
Harry West, and in some for herself, and learning that Wilmot Allen was
to be of the party, Barbara told Blizzard, at the end of his sitting on
Friday, that he need not come Saturday, as she was going to spend the
week-end with the Bruces at Meadowbrook.

"I'm dog-tired," she said, "and that's the same as being discouraged. We
both need a rest. Things have been at a stand-still nearly all
the week."

"I think you are right about yourself," said Blizzard, "but won't your
gay friends keep you up till all hours?"

"They will _not_" said Barbara, "and it won't be gay. During a falling
market there are never more than two happy people at the largest Long
Island house-party. The men will sit by themselves and drink very
solemnly. The women will sit by themselves and yawn till ten o'clock. It
will be very boring and very restful."

"Speaking of falling markets, is my friend Mr. Allen to be among those
present? I understand that he has been very hard hit."

"I don't know about that," said Barbara. "He often is. Yes, he is to be
among those present, and I'm really going just to have a chance to
talk to him."

"_With_ him or _to_ him?" asked Blizzard with one of his sudden,
dazzling smiles.

"_To_ him," said Barbara, also smiling, "I, too, have listened to tales
out of school, and since he is my oldest friend, and probably my best,
he must be straightened out."

"A little absence from New York, perhaps," suggested Blizzard, and
watched her face closely.

"Do you think so? It doesn't seem to me necessary to run away in order
to straighten out."

"Mr. Allen," said Blizzard, "should swear off stock-gambling, and marry
a rich girl."

"He's not that kind," said Barbara simply. And this swift, loyal
statement did not please the beggar, since it argued more to his mind of
the faith that goes with love than of that appertaining to friendship.
He felt a sharp stab of jealousy, and had some ado to keep the pain of
it from showing in his face.

"Well," he said, "if anybody can help him, you can. And if you can't,
send him to me. Oh, we've had dealings before now. I was even of real
service to him once."

"If that is true," Barbara thought, "it's rather rotten of Wilmot to
keep running this poor