icking up pearls. I felt my excuses did
more harm than good. Roger pretended that he had an engagement. I saw by
his face he wanted to walk off his anger in the fresh air. If he does
walk it off--if he comes back ready to make up, and I send him away
again, perhaps that will finish it! Things may never be the same between
us any more!"

"He was angry because you didn't seem to care enough for his present,"
said Clo. "But if you can get him out of the house for an hour or so,
and at the same time prove that you adore the pearls; how does that plan
strike you?"

"How could I do both?"

"Beg him to go fetch a pearl-stringer, and bring her back here himself,
to-night. Say you can't rest or sleep till the pearls are restrung."

"You forget it's Sunday, and----"

"I don't forget. But I know a pearl-stringer. She isn't just any old
pearl-stringer, who might thread on a wax bead here and there, and keep
a pearl or two up her sleeve. She's the best pearl-stringer in New York.
The big jewellers and lots of swell society women have her. It's queer
the way I came to know her, but it makes it good for us. We were
crossing a street, she and I. I didn't know the woman from Adam--Eve, I
mean. But it was slippery, and she missed her footing. I dragged her
back, just in time, and held her up. She's a little woman, no bigger
than me, or I couldn't have done it. But I got her on the sidewalk
again, and she was grateful. She's Irish, too, and she invited me to go
and see her the next Sunday. It's out at Yonkers, where she lives, in a
nice little house she's bought. I went there once. She said if she could
do some favour for me, she'd love to. But it's no favour I'll be asking,
except for her to come out on a Sunday evening. So the only thing is to
fetch her. Do you think Mr. Sands will go?"

"It depends upon how he feels when he comes in," said Beverley. "But
Sister Lake would never let you out again."

"I shan't ask her. I'll get up and dress while you see if Mr. Sands is
back. If I hear from you that all's well, I'll slip out before Sister
comes."

"Clo, you're wonderful!" Beverley exclaimed. "How can I thank you
enough?"

"Thanks from you to me! That's good! Just wait, Angel, anyhow, till I've
done something. Oh, I forgot to give you the pearl-stringer's address.
It's Miss Blackburne, 27 Elm Street, Yonkers. And tell Mr. Sands to
mention my name. It might make a difference. She doesn't like leaving
her mother in the evenings,