ve it to me. I'll go out the side way and
amble around to the front door the same time they do. They'll think I'm
just getting home, and I can size him up for you."

The next moment he was out of the house, over the low hedge, and casually
sauntering toward the corner. The night was very dark, lightened only by
the swinging street lamp and the two staring eyes of an automobile that
had stopped a little distance from the house. Quin saw Rose dart out of
the shadows and run toward the house. Some one called her name softly and
peremptorily, but she did not stop. A man was following her out of the
shadows. But Quin did not wait for him to arrive; he promptly stepped
around the corner and met Rose at the front gate.

"What's up?" he demanded, seeing her quivering lips and angry, excited
eyes.

"Tell him to go away!" she whispered, trying to get the gate open. "Tell
him I never want him to speak to me again. He _can't_ apologize--there
isn't anything he can say. Just make him go away, that's all."

"Miss Martel is making a mountain out of a molehill," said a suave voice
behind them, and, turning, Quin saw the somewhat perturbed face of Harold
Phipps, "If she would listen to me for two minutes----"

"But I won't--not for one minute! You sha'n't speak to me----"

"Just one word alone with you----"

"See here," said Quin, stepping between them and looking Harold Phipps
squarely in the eyes. "You heard what she said, didn't you?"

"Yes; but I insist upon her listening to me. She entirely misunderstood
something I said."

"I did not!" Rose broke in furiously. "You know perfectly well I didn't.
I won't listen to anything you have to say on that or any other subject."

"I sha'n't let you go until you do," he replied in his most authoritative
tone.

"Oh, yes, you will," said Quin quietly. "I don't know what the row's
about, but she doesn't have to talk to you if she doesn't want to."

For a moment the two men stood silently measuring each other; then the
one in uniform gave a slight shrug and permitted himself a faint superior
smile.

"I see," he said. "The young lady's conduct did not lead me to suppose
she was engaged. I congratulate you!" And, turning on his heel, he went
back to his car.

Rose turned quickly and seized Quin's arm.

"Don't tell anybody about this, please," she implored. "I've had my
lesson--the beast!"

"What did he do?" demanded Quin, longing for an excuse to annihilate
Phipps.

"It wasn't