r. Moore
would like to go, if he cares to stag it. I'm afraid every girl in
town has been invited by now."

"Stag what?" queried Peter in a dry voice.

"There's to be a St. Valentine's ball to-night," enthused the girl.
"St. Valentine's Day is the fourteenth, you know. I'm sure you'd enjoy
it! You'll go, won't you?"

"But--but----" stammered Peter. "I had hoped that you and I could
spend the evening by ourselves."

"Oh, but I couldn't do that!" cried Eileen, with reproach in her big,
gray eyes. "Professor Hodgson invited me ages ago! Can't we talk this
afternoon and to-morrow. I'll cut classes all day. Please go! I'll
give you every other dance! The professor won't mind. He's an old
dear!"

The old dear frowned a shade more darkly, and Peter derived some
encouragement from the sign.

"I'll go on that condition," said Peter gaily. "Every other dance with
Miss Lorimer!"

"That's fine!" Professor Hodgson rejoined. "Have you a costume?"

"Your wireless uniform!" cried Eileen. "You look wonderful in that!"

Professor Hodgson was preparing to remove his dour look from their
vicinity. "I'll be around at eight," he said. "See you later, Mr.
Moore."

"So-long!" Peter retorted affably, and Eileen squeezed his arm ever so
lightly.

"I want to talk to you all afternoon!" she declared with her adorable
smile, when the professor was out of earshot. "Shall we take a
car-ride?"

They climbed into the front seat of an open car, and Peter was glad
when the girl linked her arm through his and snuggled close to his side.

"I want you to tell me everything from the very beginning," she said
with a bright smile. "I want to know why you left me so suddenly in
Shanghai. I had a hundred questions to ask. You were mean!"

"You can begin wherever you please," said Peter amiably.

"Then, why," demanded Eileen, giving him a hungry little look, "didn't
you let me stay in Shanghai?"

"Because I was in love with you," Peter replied abruptly. "You were in
danger. So was I. I wanted to get you out of China as quickly as
possible, because, you see, my dear, the man who had his agents kidnap
you, and who was having you transported to China on the _Vandalia_,
would have recaptured you without difficulty. Do you mind if I tell
you, Eileen, that it broke my heart when I realized that we wouldn't
see one another for goodness knows how long a time?"

Eileen glanced pensively at the green lawns and the flower-garde