y. "You look like a gargoyle."

"Thanks!" All the light and joy fled at the sight of the big fellow by
the hearth. Dispiritedly, Raymond sat down and resigned himself to what
he believed was the inevitable.

Cameron regarded him critically as he might have a puzzling case. Then,
having made a diagnosis, he prescribed:

"Sorry to see me here, old chap?"

"Why in thunder should I be?" Raymond glared.

"No reason--but then reason isn't everything. Nancy's a bit off--I'd
hate to have her confront that mug of yours, Ken, if I can soften it up
any. I came to bring some medicine from Uncle David--he's worried about
colds these days. Nancy told me you were coming, she went upstairs to
take her dose in private--she told me to stay and give you the glad hand
and explain. Somehow you don't look exactly appreciative."

"Sorry!" Raymond found himself relaxing. "Want me to kiss you?"

"Try it! I'd like to have a fling at you. What's up, anyway, Ken? See
here, old man, you know there might be any one of twenty fellows here
to-night--you ought to be on your knees thanking heaven that it's I--not
one of the twenty."

"What the devil do you mean?" Raymond got up, tried to feel resentment
but could not.

"Nothing, only I'm going and--well, Ken, don't be an ass. It don't
pay."

Raymond tried to think of something to say, but before the right thing
occurred he heard Cameron's cheerful whistle cut off by the closing of
the heavy front door.

Then he sat down by the fire and did some thinking. It was the kind of
concentrated thought that separates the chaff and wheat; foregoes the
glitter of romance and reaches out for the guiding, unfailing light of
reality.

How long he sat alone Raymond never realized. It seemed like years, then
like a moment--but it brought him to Nancy as she stood at the top of
the flight of steps leading to the warm, fire-lighted room while the
fountain splashed cheerfully and a restless, curious little bird
twittered in its cage.

Nancy wore the faintest of blue gowns; a cloudlike scarf fell from her
shoulders; her eyes held the full confession of her love as they met the
groping in Raymond's.

He opened his arms.

"My darling!" he said, "will you come?"

Slowly, radiantly, Nancy stepped down.

"It seems as if I'd always been coming," she was saying. "I--I don't
want to hurry now that I--I see you."

"I--I think I've always been coming, too," Raymond would not take a
step, "but I was walking i