delle. "Caroline, look at the Bohemian glass
vase. I'm sure I heard it crack."

All glances immediately concentrated on the fatal area. Detection was
now but a question of instants. Then Skippy in the throes of despair saw
the plump little hand of Miss Jennie Tupper reach out and casually close
over the offending pearl stud. He was saved, saved by the miracle of
compassion and forgiveness that lifts women to those sublime heights
where mere men cannot attain!

Tears threatened his eyes, his throat swelled up and slowly subsided. He
looked over into the velvety eyes and sent a message of abject
gratitude. He was her slave from now on, irrevocably bound, faithful
until death!

* * * * *

"You didn't detherve it," said Miss Jennie an hour later when in the
seclusion of the veranda she had restored to him the unspeakable stud.

"You're an angel," said Skippy hoarsely. "I'll never, never forget that.
That was white of you, awfully white!"

"You didn't detherve it," repeated Miss Tupper with as much severity as
can accompany the slightest of lisps and the eyes of a gazelle.

"Don't be hard on a fellow," said Skippy miserably.

"It was outwageous. You know, you didn't know us."

How was he to lie to his saviour and benefactor and yet how betray a
chum?

"It did look bad," he said, momentarily at loss, "but honest, now,
Snorky's intentions were nothing but honorable. Honest they were."

"I with I could believe it," said Miss Jennie sadly.

"I say, you must think I'm an awful rum sort," said Skippy, on whom the
velvety eyes against the distant moon ripple on the water and the nearby
night fragrance of the honeysuckle was beginning to work its charm.
"Well, I suppose I am--"

"Oh no."

"A rotten good-for-nothing lot," said Skippy gloomily, falling easily
into the new part and surprised to find what peculiar pleasure could be
extracted from the role of the wayward.

"No, no, you're not that bad," said Miss Jennie earnestly, "but I do
think--well you've not been under the withest of influenthes, have you?"

"I haven't had a chance," said Skippy desperately. "Everything has been
against me. Guess no one cares what becomes of me."

"I know," said the gentle voice. "It ith hard."

"Look here, Miss Tupper," said Skippy, beginning to be convinced of his
own predestination for the gallows, as he instinctively felt the
sentimental value of the role. "Men like myself don't get a chance t