ment for me if you would not care to go," and his voice sounded strained and sharp. "If any other woman said such a thing as that to me, I'd whistle to my dog, take my hat and say 'good day,' and that would be the last I'd see of her, you may be very sure. But I'd rather you'd speak just as you feel and not manufacture a lot of excuses. You are pretty blunt at times, but I like it even if it does make me feel sore. I won't urge you to reconsider, it might bring on a fit of indigestion," and he laughed good-naturedly. He turned at the door to say:

"I shall miss you, Miss Germaine, and can you wonder? Do you realize that I have seen you every day except Sunday for eight months? I feel that I owe you much. Those days in the studio brought me out from my dream of idleness. Everyone who comes in contact with you feels your influence for good. Your childlike sincerity disarms suspicion, and your frankness is as refreshing as a drink of water when one has traveled a long and dusty way and comes across a little brook babbling along at the turn of the road. I shall think of you in a way I cannot seem to express in words." She started to speak. He interrupted her with: "Don't be afraid. I have no intention of allowing your prophecy to come true." "What do you mean?" she asked wonderingly. Oh, that I should always remember you as 'the woman who refused me'! I do not mean to

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risk anything, you see. The memory of a refusal to lunch will not affect my night's sleep," he said, half smiling. He whistled to Kim, who was sleeping soundly beside the fox-skin rug; the dog sprang up, shook off the drowsiness that was holding him and came running into the hall. Bettina regarded her friend with anxious eyes.

"Dear Mr. Garland, I really didn't mean what you thought I did when I started to speak. But I see it is better I should not say what I have in my mind. I never mean to sermonize, but I was brought up to be frank and I can't seem to help it." He held himself well in check as he extended his hand.

"I do not mean to run any risks, little friend, your friendship lies too near my heart. If all the women who adopt the stage would be as you have been to the men they meet, the life would be a very different one. I like your ways because I like happy people, and the one who can radiate happiness when the heart is aching commands my admiration and respect. By the way," his hand on the door knob, "I should like very much to go to the station and see you safely started on your journey, may I?”

At a quarter to twelve that same night, a gentleman in evening dress with light top coat, was seen walking up and down the waiting room of the Grand Central Station. In his hand he carried a

From time to time
Just as the 12.03

large bunch of pale pink roses. his eyes sought the outer door. Boston Express was announced the door swung open and a young lady in traveling coat of shepherd's plaid and English cap to match came walking rapidly across the room, closely followed by a porter with her luggage. The gentleman in evening dress advanced to meet her, and together they passed along the platform until the car was reached. He held the roses up to her as she tarried in the vestibule. He pressed her hand in both of his, then raising his hat, said in a low voice:

"Good night, and may the summer hold much of joy for thee and thine, my Friend Cecelia."

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Good-by, dear friend, and may you be happy, too." Lifting the roses to her face she passed within the car.

CHAPTER VI

A SERIES OF ADVENTURES

ND you say it has been three weeks since you

received any message?" inquired Mr. Carter, as he waved a palm-leaf fan Madam had just handed to him. The day was warm and he had been walking rapidly.

"Why, it is over a month since Richard received that last twenty-dollar bill. Not that we are thinking of the money," she quickly added, "but it all seems so strange and unnatural. It puzzles me, and when I look at that precious little lamb and think what the future may hold for her if the mother should come and take her, it almost gives me a nervous chill whenever I hear the knocker sound," and they both looked toward the Grand Master lying on the grass where the ground sloped abruptly to the shore, and a little fairy-like figure hovering about him. Miriam had been gathering clover leaves and little twigs from the shrubbery and was sticking them in her playfellow's hair.

"Richard and I were talking about it this morning while Baby was out with Melissa. You see,

we have not used any of the money she has sent. Richard opened an account in the savings bank for Miriam, which now amounts to nearly seven hundred dollars. I wonder where it came from! Oh, I do feel so tried at times! I want to think well of one who was responsible for sending us such a little treasure, but I cannot help wondering a hundred different things. Who do you suppose, and where do you suppose this B. L.' is, Uncle Poly? Now tell me truly?" her tones were anxiously confidential.

Well," replied the person addressed, waving aside a bumblebee that was circling around attracted by the rose in his buttonhole, "not being a clairvoyant, I cannot go into a trance and tell you who or what 'B. L.' may be or where she is, much as I would like to do so."

Another wave of the fan. "Nothing could induce me to go into a trance with this bee buzzing round unless you'd promise to shoo him away. But I'm not an en-trancing person, as you know." Madam smiled at his pun and lifted a warning finger. "I can only remind you," he went on to say, "of what Dr. Johnson told me the day I saw him last. The lady he said was Miriam's mother, appeared to be a thoroughly respectable and rather attractive young woman by the name of Lawton, or something like that, but where she is or what she is likely to do, nothing can be proven by me. The postmarks on the letters show that