, shaking her head.

"Has anything gone wrong with us?" he asked, sullenly.

"Evidently. I don't know what it is. I'm keeping my composure and
controlling my temper until I find out. You know what that dreadful
temper of mine can be?" She added, smiling: "Well, then, please beware
of it unless you are ready to talk sensibly. Are you?"

"What is it you wish me to say?"

"How perfectly horrid you can be!" she exclaimed, "I never knew you
could be like this? Do you want a girl to go on her knees to you? I care
enough for our friendship to do it--but I won't!"

Her mood was altering:

"You're a brute, Kelly, to make me miserable. I was having such a good
time at the Gigolette when I suddenly saw you--your expression--and--I
don't even yet know why, but every bit of joy went out of everything for
me--"

"_I_ was going out, too," he said, laughing. "Why didn't you remain?
Your gay spirits would have returned untroubled after my departure."

There was an ugly sound to his laugh which checked her, left her silent
for a moment. Then:

"Did you disapprove of me?" she asked, curiously. "Was that it?"

"No. You can take care of yourself, I fancy."

"I have had to," she said, gravely.

He was silent.

She added with a light laugh not perfectly genuine:

"I suppose I am experiencing with you what all mortals experience when
they become entangled with the gods."

"What is that?"

"Unhappiness. All the others experienced it--Proserpine, Helen, poor
little Psyche--every nice girl who ever became mixed up with the
Olympians had a bad half hour of it sooner or later. And to-night the
great god Kelly has veiled his face from me, and I'm on my knees at his
altar sacrificing every shred of sweet temper to propitiate him. Now,
mighty and sulky oracle! _what_ has happened to displease you?"

He said: "If there seems to be any constraint--if anything has altered
our pleasant intimacy, I don't know what it is any more than you do,
Valerie."

"Then there _is_ something!"

"I have not said so."

"Well, then, I say so," she said, impatiently. "And I say, also, that
whatever threatens our excellent understanding ought to be hunted out
and destroyed. Shall we do it together, Louis?"

He said nothing.

"Come to the fire and talk it over like two sensible people. Will you?
And please pull that sofa around to the blaze for me. Thank you. This,
Kelly, is our bed of justice."

She drew the cushions under her head and nestled