use."

"A man?"

"Yep. I couldn't ever boss a maid. And I ain't goin' to let her"--he
jerked his head toward the inner door--"I ain't goin' to let her drudge
and cook and scrub. So I'll get some lad that's been a ship's cook, and
don't like the sea, and we'll keep things nice for her, and she can fuss
around the garden and make calls on the neighbors and sit with me when I
smoke. For wimmen, after all," concluded the wise little man, "are liked
best by the men when they'll listen. A talkin' woman may catch a man,
but the kind that holds him is the kind that sits and listens."

He went away after that, and Bettina carried the pink robe to Miss
Matthews. "Oh, Letty, dear," she said, "just see how gorgeous you're
going to be."

She opened the box, and let out a whiff of foreign fragrance. But when
the beautiful pale-tinted thing was laid across the bed, and Bettina had
explained that it was the captain's gift, Miss Matthews looked solemnly
at her friend. "If you think I'm going to wear that," she croaked,
hoarsely, "you're mistaken."

"Of course you're going to wear it."

"Of course I'm not. I--I'd be afraid."

"Afraid--oh, Letty."

"Yes, I would. I've never worn such things. I'd be afraid I'd get a spot
on it, and it wouldn't come out. Now when a woman like me has a thing
like that she just lays it away to look at. Then she always knows that
she has one lovely garment. But if she wears it, she feels that the day
will come when it will be gone, and then--she won't own one beautiful
thing in the wide world--not one single beautiful thing."

Bettina bent over her soothingly. "There," she said, "you wear it once,
Letty, and then, if you wish, you can put it away."

* * * * *

Late at night, Anthony came on his last round of calls and urged that
Bettina should have a nurse to take her place. But Bettina refused.

"I took care of mother alone," she said. "I can surely do this."

Every moment that she was with him she was conscious of the difference
in her attitude toward him. She had a nervous fear that he might notice
the change in her, that he might read her heart with his keen eyes.

But he seemed preoccupied, and just before he went away he said:

"You haven't promised me one thing, Bettina."

"What, Anthony?"

"That you won't fly again with Justin. I think I shall have to ask that
you make it a definite promise."

"Suppose I won't--promise."

"I think you will," he sai