ing at him with undisguised amazement.
"I just stepped out for a moment, Mrs. Thorpe, to post a letter," said
Wade, trying his best not to sink back into servility, and quite miserably
failing. He was fumbling for his keys. The tops of the houses across the
street appeared to interest him greatly. His gaze was fixed rather
intently upon them. "Very sorry, Mrs. Thorpe,--dreadfully sorry. Ahem! Good
morning. I hope you have not been waiting long. I--ah, here we are!" He
found the key in the pocket of his fancy waistcoat, and bolted down the
steps to unlock the gate. "Excuse me, please. I will run in this way and
open the door from the--"

"Wade," cried out Mrs. Thorpe, "is it really you?"

He looked astonished--and a trifle hurt. "Who else could I be, Mrs.
Thorpe?" Then he darted through the gate and a moment later the servants'
door opened and closed behind him.

"I must be dreaming," said Anne. "What in the world has come over the
man?"

Lutie closed one eye slowly. "There is only one thing under heaven that
could make a man rig himself out like that,--and that thing is a woman."

"A woman? Don't be foolish, Lutie. Wade couldn't even _think_ of a woman.
He's nearly seventy."

"They think of 'em until they drop, my dear," said Lutie sagely. "That's
one thing we've got to give them credit for. They keep on thinking about
us even while they're trying to keep the other foot out of the grave. You
are going to lose the amiable Wade, Anne dear. He's not wearing spats for
nothing."

Some time passed before the key turned in the inner door, and there was
still a long wait before the bolts in the storm doors shot back and Wade's
face appeared. He had not had the time to remove the necktie and spats,
but the rest of his finery had been replaced by the humble togs of
service--long service, you would say at a glance.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, ma'am, but--" He held the doors open and the
two ladies entered the stuffy, unlighted hall.

"Turn on the lights, please," said Anne quickly. Wade pushed a button and
the lights were on. She surveyed him curiously. "Why did you take them
off, Wade? You looked rather well in them."

He cleared his throat gently, and the shy, set smile reappeared as if by
magic. "It isn't necessary for me to say that I was not expecting you this
morning."

"Quite obviously you were not," said Anne drily. She continued to regard
him somewhat fixedly. Something in his expression puzzled her. "Mr. Do