willing to do a little wrong in his behalf. The surprise
he perpetrated on her and the town, his new policy of ingratiation,
gave her hope and made her rather proud of his versatility. She was
very agreeable indeed to the dentist and his wife.

In a little town like Banfield good tidings spread just as rapidly as
bad, among the better souls. News of the Pentons' hospitality and
geniality went abroad until many of the ladies of Banfield desired to
see more of Mrs. Penton, and, incidentally, her husband. Using the
dentist's wife as a medium, they secured introductions to Mrs. Penton.
Soon pink-teas began to be stylish.

It was about a fortnight after the affair of the silver. Mrs. Penton
was giving a euchre party (whist was unknown in Banfield, and bridge
was considered a sin) for the big dogs and ladies of Banfield. Her
husband was the biggest dog of the bunch; he had gone so far as to deck
himself in a dress-suit, and his stiff collar was almost the shape of a
cuff.

The staff, of course, was invited, and had to go. Evan would gladly
have stayed away, but he was afraid of hurting Mrs. Penton's feelings.
She gave him a special invitation. He loathed the thought of drinking
Penton's cocoa and eating his food. He well knew that the manager had
counted on getting business--and forgiveness--for every mouthful of his
miserable provender. Also, he was quite sure that the cocoa was either
unpaid for or had been bought out of a mysterious silver package.

The teller played cards, for a while, at the same table as Penton, and
saw him smirk down upon his guests as no one, surely, but W. W. Penton
ever smirked. Evan felt that he would suffocate unless he got away
from that table. He wished he could stand on a chair and reveal the
character of the manager as he knew it--but a smile from Mrs. Penton
reached him, and he filled with pity for her. He knew that a
revelation of Penton's real character would sound as strange to her as
to any person there. She knew her husband had "faults," but what does
that common word signify to a woman in love? The atmosphere became too
stifling for Evan. He felt his head throb and threaten to ache. He
excused himself, to take air.

He went out through the office and threw open the front door of the
bank. It was a clear April night; the air was cool and fresh.

There were only two living creatures visible on the front street. One
was a dog, the other a man carrying a small valis