llette. But the girl
I'm telling you about--_she_ don't; Sis told the mater about it. It
seems that before she left China, some high muck-a-muck gave her
governor a swell pair of silk ones--something like these, I guess, but I
don't know of what color. But, anyhow, they were too delicate and fine
to be wasted on an old stiff like that, and he had sense enough to know
it. So he passed 'em down the line to her--Frances, you know. Well,
sir--" Here she sidled to the table and half leaned, half perched, upon
its edge; and I was so distracted watching her graceful poise and
gestures, that I lost what she was saying, by Jove.

It was her trill of laughter at something she had said, and the
question: "Wasn't that funny?" that brought me back to what she was
telling me.

"Yes, sir--said she just scared her maid--oh, _batty_! Because
she looked so ugly in 'em--that's what _she_ thinks, but of
course--_shucks_! Anyhow, she never wore 'em any more, and a day or two
later some coolie stole them--sold 'em probably."

Suddenly she yawned, stretched her arms above her head, and flashed me a
dazzling smile. By Jove, in the loose-fitting garments she looked for
all the world like an Oriental houri, or some jolly lovely thing like
that.

"Gee, but I'm sleepy!" she said behind her little hand. "If you'll
excuse me, Dicky, I believe it will be off to the springs--the bed
springs, for little Frankie. Good night, then. See you in the morning."

And with another radiant smile, she moved toward her room.

"Good night," I said wistfully.

By Jove, somehow I had hoped she would offer to kiss me, now that we
were engaged in a way. But then, of course, it wouldn't do--she knew
that. So ought I. Perhaps in the morning at the boat!

And the door closed behind her. I stood blinking after her a moment;
then I fixed my attention gloomily upon the cellarette. Poor little girl
and her foolish--but adorably foolish--college bravado! Sorrowfully I
locked the cellarette and dropped the key in my pocket.

Then I locked the outer doors of the hall and apartment, leaving the
keys unmolested on the inside. On the whole I decided I would not have
up the janitor's gossipy wife.

Next I sought Jenkins at the back.

"We will lock up back here, Jenkins, and go over to my rooms at the club
for the night."

Jenkins stared fixedly over my head. "Certainly, sir."

"And Jenkins--h'm!" I crumpled a bill into his mechanical palm. "You
will never allude to