dies knew her brother was in jail, she could
have suppressed all other causes for anxiety and given herself freely to
the hour's bliss.

But she would not be persuaded to remain, taking her leave with a full
command of graceful niceties. Thor could hardly believe she was his
fairy of the hothouse. She was a princess, a marvel. "Beats them all,"
he said, gleefully, to himself, referring to the ladies of County
Street, and almost including Lois Willoughby.

He did not quite include her. He perceived that he couldn't do so when,
after having bowed Rosie to the door, he returned to take his seat in
the drawing-room. There was a distinction about Lois, he admitted to
himself, that neither prettiness nor fine clothes nor graceful niceties
could rival. He wondered if she wasn't even more distinguished since
this new something had come into her life--was it joy or grief?--which
he himself had brought there.

Her greeting to him was of precisely the same shade as all her greetings
during the past two months. It was like something rehearsed and executed
to perfection. When she had given him his tea and poured another cup for
herself, they talked of Rosie.

"Do you know," she said, in a musing tone, "I think the poor little
thing has really enjoyed being here this afternoon?"

"Why shouldn't she?"

"Yes, but why should she? Apart from the very slight novelty of the
thing--which to an American girl is no real novelty, after all--I don't
understand what it is she cares so much about?"

He weighed the question seriously. "She finds a world of certain--what
shall I say?--of certain amenities to which she's equal--any one can see
that!--and which she hasn't got. That's something in itself--to a girl
with imagination."

"I think she's in love," Lois said, suddenly.

Thor was startled. "Oh no, she isn't. She can't be. Who on earth could
she be in love with?"

"Oh, it's not with you. Don't be alarmed," Lois smiled. It was so like
Thor to be shy of a pretty girl. He had been so ever since she could
remember him.

"That's good," he managed to say. He regained control of himself, though
he tingled all over. "It would have to be with me or Dr. Hilary. We're
the only two men, except the Italians, who ever appear on the place."

"Oh, you don't know," Lois said, pensively. "Girls like that often have
what they call, rather picturesquely, a fellow."

"Oh, don't!" His cry was instantly followed by a nervous laugh. He felt
obliged