tirade, and then his artist
instinct was stirred,--for the picture she made was beautiful and
dramatic. She had no thought of this, for she was in earnest, and her
whole soul was up in arms at thought of the threatened abduction of
Fleurette. And, so, knowing that the child was safe with Mrs. Gale, she
let the vials of her wrath pour forth on the villain who had so aroused
it, and her voice was raised in scathing obloquy.

"All right!" Merritt said, as she paused from sheer want of breath,
"I'll take my beating, if you'll go over to the studio with me and
repeat this scene. Let me pose you while you're in this humour,--you'll
never reach such heights again!"

"Nor will I ever pose for you again! I'm through with you,--all of
you, and all the moving-picture business! I was warned to keep out of
it,--but I didn't know what wretches I would find in it! Go! Go at once!
and never let me see your face again!"

It was at this moment that the Gale motor party returned.

Patty and Bill, hearing Azalea's loud tones, rushed to the library and
found her there with Merritt.

"Where's Baby?" Patty cried, starting for the stairs.

"She's safe, Patty," Azalea said, stopping her. "She's all right,--she's
over to Mrs. Gale's."

"Mrs. Gale's!" and Patty flew off like the wind, caring for nothing but
the assurance of her own eyes that Fleurette was safe.

"Help me, Bill," said Azalea, going toward Farnsworth, "you said once,
you'd defend me."

"I will, dear. What's this all about? Who are _you_?" He addressed
Merritt quietly, but with a fire in his blue eyes that was disturbing.

"Merritt, of the Flicker Film Company, very much at your service," and
the man drew a card from his pocket and presented it.

"Well, Mr. Merritt, leave at once, and never return. I don't care for
your explanations or excuses. Simply _go_."

Merritt went.

"Is that right, Zaly?" Bill said, as the crestfallen visitor left them.
"I didn't want any words with him,--for I might have lost my temper. I'd
rather have the story from you."

"And I'll tell it to you,--all. But, oh, Bill, I'm so _glad_ Fleurette
is all right!"

"She is _so_!" and Patty came dancing on, with the smilingest child in
the world. Van Reypen followed, and then the whole crowd drew together
anxious to know what the commotion was all about.

CHAPTER XVI

AZALEA'S STORY

"Yes, I'll tell you the whole story," Azalea repeated, addressing
herself to Farnsworth, but glancin