there was disappointment in
his voice as he looked at Mr. Vandeford.

"I couldn't get away from the office until just this minute, and I
didn't think I could get away this soon. Miss Adair sent her apologies
to you both, and I came over to bring them."

"Evidently we are not to be trusted with the author, Mr. Farraday,"
laughed Violet, with what good Dennis took as good nature and what Mr.
Vandeford knew to be rage.

"Well, bless the child and her beauty sleep, but don't let that kill our
evening joy. Come along, Van, and we'll go some place sufficiently
disreputable to admit a crumpled person like yourself if you wash your
hands. We can have a good powwow over the play. I want to know what you
have been doing while I was off the job chasing a hat for the author."
And the big, stupid Jonathan linked his arm in that of his anxious and
hovering David and drew him along towards the Surrenese, which stood
across the street, at the same time guiding the steps of the Violet's
satin slippers in that direction.

While the three walked across the narrow street Mr. Vandeford made some
rapid calculations and a decision in his mind. He saw plainly that he
could not undertake to guard Mr. Dennis Farraday from the Violet and at
the same time fend Miss Patricia Adair from her wiles. He'd have to
choose between them, and in the twinkling of an eye he chose Patricia.
It is said that there is a love between men "that passes the love of
women," but nobody has ever witnessed it.

"You people go on to your show--I'm all in," he capitulated as they
stood beside Mr. Farraday's car; and the heart of the Violet rejoiced
within her.

"I'm sure Miss Adair is getting caught up on sleep so she can go with
you to-morrow night. She's a perfect dear, and we'll put her play
across," Hawtry cooed to him in her rich voice, and he knew that she
felt she had struck his price and bought him off.

"If Denny falls for her he'll fall far; but I can't help it. A girl's a
girl, specially from the country," Mr. Vandeford said to himself, as he
stood and watched them drive away into the white-lighted canon of
Broadway. Then he went home and to bed.

A man may put out his night light, stretch himself between his sheets
with the perfection of fatigue and still not sleep. There are various
combinations of reasons that prevent his slumber. Mr. Godfrey Vandeford
was still awake when Mr. Dennis Farraday let himself into his apartment
with a key that had been p