t would, all along. PSHO!" She burst into genuine, noisy
laughter. "I don't expect either of 'em meant no real harm to each
other, after they got cooled off a little! If they'd met to-day,
they'd probably both run! Now, Mr. Louden, where's Happy?"

Joe went to the door with her. He waited a moment, perplexed, then his
brow cleared and he said in a low voice: "You know the alley beyond
Vent Miller's pool-room? Go down the alley till you come to the second
gate. Go in, and you'll see a basement door opening into a little room
under Miller's bar. The door won't be locked, and Happy's in there
waiting for you. But remember--"

"Oh, don't you worry," she cut him off, loudly. "I know HIM! Inside of
an hour I'll have him LAUGHIN' over all this. You'll see!"

When she had gone, he stood upon the landing looking thoughtfully after
her. "Perhaps, after all, that is the best mood to let her meet him
in," he murmured.

Then, with a deep breath, he turned. The heavy perfume had gone; the
air was clear and sweet, and Ariel was pressing her face into the roses
again. As he saw how like them she was, he was shaken with a profound
and mysterious sigh, like that which moves in the breast of one who
listens in the dark to his dearest music.

XV

HAPPY FEAR GIVES HIMSELF UP

"I know how tired you are," said Ariel, as he came back into the room.
"I shall not keep you long."

"Ah, please do!" he returned, quickly, beginning to fumble with the
shade of a student-lamp at one end of the desk.

"Let me do that," she said. "Sit down." He obeyed at once, and
watched her as she lit the lamp, and, stretching upon tiptoe, turned
out the gas. "No," she continued, seated again and looking across the
desk at him, "I wanted to see you at the first possible opportunity,
but what I have to say--"

"Wait," he interrupted. "Let me tell you why I did not come yesterday."

"You need not tell me. I know." She glanced at the chair which had
been occupied by Mrs. Fear. "I knew last night that they had sent for
you."

"You did?" he exclaimed. "Ah, I understand. Sam Warden must have told
you."

"Yes," she said. "It was he; and I have been wondering ever since how
he heard of it. He knew last night, but there was nothing in the
papers this morning; and until I came here I heard no one else speak of
it; yet Canaan is not large."

Joe laughed. "It wouldn't seem strange if you lived with the Canaan
that I do. Sam had been