r
woman, she could just put up with a _partie carree_. But she hadn't
picked out Lady Derl. Lady Derl was something that had never touched her
world except from a box across the footlights on an occasional premiere.

One flash of Folly's eyes took in Lady Derl, and then her long lashes
drooped before Lady Derl had time to take in Folly. Folly's whole self
drooped. She was still a bit of thistle-down, but its pal, the breeze,
was gone. She crossed the room, barely touched Helene's hand, and then
fluttered down to stillness on the edge of a big chair.

At lunch Leighton made desperate efforts to start a breeze and failed.
Folly said "Yes" and Folly said "No,"--very softly, too,--and that was
all. Leighton stepped on Helene's foot several times, but to no avail.
Lady Derl was watching Folly. "Could she keep it up? Yes, she could."
Lady Derl couldn't talk; she wanted to laugh.

Throughout that interminable lunch, Helene, Leighton, and Lewis saw
nothing, thought nothing, but Folly, and, for all any one of them could
see, Folly didn't know it. "Oh, you adorable _cat!_" thought Lady Derl.
"Oh, you _adorable!_" sighed Lewis to himself, and, inwardly, Leighton
groaned, "Oh, you _you!_"

Within twenty minutes of leaving the table, Folly rose from the edge of
her chair and crossed to Lady Derl.

"Good-by," she breathed shyly, holding out her hand. "I must go now."
Lewis sprang up to accompany her. They could see he was aching to get
away somewhere where he could put his arms around her. Leighton crossed
to the door and held it open. "Good-by," said Folly to him, holding out
her hand. "I've had _such_ a good time."

At the word "such," Leighton winced and flushed. Then he grinned.

"Good-by, Folly," he said. "I hope you'll come again when you're feeling
more like yourself."

He closed the door and then rang for Nelton. Nelton came.

"Bring me the iodine," said Leighton, as with his handkerchief he
stanched the blood from a bad scratch on his right wrist.

"Heavens! Glen," cried Helene, "how did you get that?

"Didn't you see me jump when she said '_such_'?" asked Leighton. Then
they sat down, and Helene laughed for a long time, while Leighton tried
not to. "Oh," he said at last, "I wish we didn't have to think of Lew!"

"You may ask for my advice now," said Helene, a little breathlessly.
"I've got it ready."

"Thank God!" said Leighton. "What is it?"

"It's only a plan to gain time, after all," said Helene; "but tha