the house. First assuring herself no one was
within hearing distance, she paused before the telephone, longing, yet
scarcely daring to use it. Then she took off the receiver and called
Theodore's number. His voice, deep, low and thrilling, answered her.

"It's I, Theo," she said faintly.... "Molly."

"Yes," he answered, but that was all.

He gave her no encouragement, no opening, but in desperation she
uttered,

"Theodore, I'm sorry!... Oh, I'm so sorry!... Won't you forgive me?"

There was silence on the wire for an appreciable length of time.

"Theodore?" murmured Molly once more.

"Yes."

"I want you to forgive me.... I couldn't wait until you came home."

She heard a slight cough, then came the reply.

"I can't control your thoughts, Molly, but I dislike to have my
friends illy spoken of."

"I know! I know it, Theodore! But please forgive me, won't you?"

"Very well," answered Theodore, and he clicked off the 'phone.

Molly dropped her face into her hands.

"He hung the receiver up in my ear," she muttered. "How cruel, how
terrible of him!"

It was a wan, beautiful face that turned up to Theodore King when he
came home to dinner. Too kindly by nature to hurt any one, he smiled
at Molly. Then he stopped and held out his hand. The woman took it,
saying earnestly:

"I'm sorry, Theo.... I'm very sorry. I think I'm a little cat, don't
you?" and she laughed, the tension lifted from her by his cordiality.

There was a wholesomeness in her manner that made Theodore's heart
glad.

"Of course not, Molly!... You couldn't be that!... And next week we
will have a lovely day in the country."

Molly turned away sadly. She had hoped he would do as she wanted him
to in spite of his appointment with Jinnie Grandoken.

That evening Jinnie wore a beautiful new dress when she started for
the Kings. Of course she didn't know that Theodore had arranged with
Peggy to purchase it, and when Mrs. Grandoken had told her to come
along and buy the gown, Jinnie's eyes sparkled, but she shook her
head.

"I'd rather you'd spend the money on Lafe and Bobbie," she said.

But Peggy replied, "No," and that's how it came that Jinnie stepped
quite proudly from the motor car at the stone steps.

Molly Merriweather met her with a forced smile, and Jinnie felt
strained until Theodore King's genial greeting dissipated the affront.
After the dinner, through which she sat very much embarrassed, she
played until, to the man watchi