e beheld Mrs. Jepson leaning over, glaring at
her husband. Perhaps Jepson looked up--he sensed her in some way--and,
remembering, glanced wildly about. And then, to the moment, in came
Rimrock Jones, striding along with his big hat in his hand.

It happened as in a play, the swift entrance of the hero, a swifter
glance, and the woman smiled. At sight of that tiger-skin coat Rimrock
stopped dead in his tracks--and Jepson saw his chance to escape.

"Mr. Jones," he beckoned frantically, "let me introduce you to Mrs.
Hardesty. Excuse me!" And he slipped away. There were explanations
later, in the privacy of the Jepson apartments, but Mr. Jepson never
could quite understand. Mrs. Hardesty had come out with a card from
Mr. Stoddard and it was his duty, no less, to look after her. But
meanwhile the drama moved swiftly, with Mary in the balcony looking on.
She could not hear, but her eyes told her everything and soon she, too,
slipped away. Her appointment was neglected, her existence forgotten.
She had come--the other woman!

"Ah, well, well!" the woman cried as she opened her eyes at Rimrock and
held out a jeweled hand, "have you forgotten me already? I used to see
you so often--at the Waldorf, but you won't remember!"

"Oh! Back in New York!" exclaimed Rimrock heartily. "What'd you say
the name? Oh, _Hardesty_! Oh, yes! You were a friend of----"

"Mr. Buckbee! Oh, I was sure you would remember me! I've come out to
look at your mine!"

They shook hands at that and the crowd moved off further, though it
increased as the circle expanded, and then Rimrock looked again at the
tiger-skin.

"Say, by George!" he exclaimed with unctuous admiration, "ain't that
the finest tiger-skin you ever saw. And that's no circus
product--that's a genuine _tigre_, the kind they have in Old Mexico!"

"Oh, you have been in Mexico? Then that's how you knew it! I meet so
many people who don't know. Yes, I have an interest in the famous
Tigre Mine and this was given me by a gentleman there!"

"Well, he must have been crazy over you!" declared Rimrock frankly, "or
he'd never have parted with that skin!"

"Ah, you flatter me!" she said and turned to the clerk with an inquiry
regarding her room.

"Give her the best there is!" spoke up Rimrock with authority, "and
charge it up to the Company. No, now never you mind! Ain't you a
friend of Buckbee's? And didn't you come out to see our mine?"

"Oh, thank you very much," a