ok his leave of Valerie and Rita, went over and made his
adieux to his host and the others. When he had gone Rita, standing alone
with Valerie beside the tea table, said in a low voice:

"Don't do it, Valerie!"

"Do--what?" asked the girl in astonishment.

"Fall in love."

[Illustration: "Ogilvy stood looking sentimentally at the two young
girls."]

Valerie laughed.

"Do you mean with Querida?"

"No."

"Then--what _do_ you mean?"

"You're on the edge of doing it, child. It isn't wise. It won't do for
us.... I know--I _know_, Valerie, more than you know about--love. Listen
to me. Don't! Go away--go somewhere; drop everything and go, if you've
any sense left. I'll go with you if you will let me.... I'll do anything
for you, dear. Only listen to me before it's too late; keep your
self-control; keep your mind clear on this one thing, that love is of no
use to us--no good to us. And if you think you suspect its presence in
your neighbourhood, get away from it; pick up your skirts and run,
Valerie.... You've plenty of time to come back and wonder what you ever
could have seen in the man to make you believe you could fall in love
with him."

Ogilvy, strolling up, stood looking sentimentally at the two young
girls.

"A--perfect--pair--of precious--priceless--peaches," he said; "I'd love
to be a Turk with an Oriental smirk and an ornamental dirk, and a
tendency to shirk when the others go to work; for the workers I can't
bear 'em and I'd rather run a harem--"

"No doubt," said Rita, coldly; "so you need not explain to me the rather
lively young lady I met in the corridor looking for studio number ten--"

"Rita! Zuleika! Star of my soul! Jewel of my turban! Do you entertain
suspicions--"

"Oh, _you_ probably did the entertaining--"

"I? Heaven! How I am misunderstood! John Burleson! Come over here and
tell this very charming young lady all about that somewhat conspicuous
vision from a local theatre who came floating into my studio by accident
while in joyous quest of you!"

But Annan only laughed, and Rita shrugged her disdain. But as she nodded
adieu to Valerie, the latter saw a pinched look in her face, and did not
understand it.

CHAPTER IX

The world, and his own family, had always been inclined to love Louis
Neville, and had advanced no farther than the inclination. There were
exceptions.

Archie Allaire, who hated him, discussing him floridly once with Querida
at the Thumb-tack Club in th