ve reasons. Oh, heavens! I am the most miserable woman in all the
world!" She suddenly bowed her head upon her hands and her shoulders
rose and fell with silent sobs.

Warrington stared at her, dumfounded. NOW what? He glanced cautiously
around as if in search of some avenue of escape. The waiter, ever
watchful, assumed that he was wanted, and made as though to approach
the table; but Warrington warned him off. All distrust in the girl
vanished. Decidedly she was in great trouble of some sort, and it
wasn't because she could not pay a restaurant check. Women--and
especially New York women--do not shed tears when a stranger offers to
settle for their dinner checks.

"If you will kindly explain to me what the trouble is," visibly
embarrassed, "perhaps I can help you. Have you run away from home?"
he asked.

A negative nod.

"Are you married?"

Another negative nod.

Warrington scratched his chin. "Have you done anything wrong?"

A decided negative shake of the head. At any other time the
gesticulation of the ostrich plume, so close to his face, would have
amused him; but there was something eminently pathetic in the diapasm
which drifted toward him from the feather.

"Come, come; you may trust me thoroughly. If you are afraid to return
home alone--"

He was interrupted by an affirmative nod this time. Possibly, he
conjectured, the girl had started out to elope and had fortunately
paused at the brink.

"Will it help you at all if I go home with you?" he asked.

His ear caught a muffled "Yes."

Warrington beckoned to the waiter.

"Order a cab at once," he said.

The waiter hurried away, with visions of handsome tips.

Presently the girl raised her head and sat up. Her eyes, dark as
shadows in still waters, glistened.

"Be perfectly frank with me; and if I can be of service to you, do not
hesitate to command me." He eyed her thoughtfully. Everything attached
to her person suggested elegance. Her skin was as fine as vellum; her
hair had a dash of golden bronze in it; her hands were white and
shapely, and the horn on the tips of the fingers shone rosily. Now,
what in the world was there to trouble a young woman who possessed
these favors, who wore jewels on her fingers and sable on her
shoulders? "Talk to me just as you would to a brother," he added
presently.

"You will take this ring," she said irrelevantly. She slipped a fine
sapphire from one of her fingers and pushed it across the table.

"And fo