raised her dark
eyes--"the isolation of the poor," she said. "You don't know what that
means."

After a moment she added, level-eyed: "For which there is supposed to be
but one outlet--if a girl is attractive."

He rose, walked to and fro for a few moments, then, halting:

"All memory of the initial terror and distress and uncertainty aside,
have you not enjoyed this morning, Miss West?"

"Yes, I--have. I--you have no idea what it has meant to me."

"It has given you an outlook, anyway."

"Yes.... Only--I'm terrified at the idea of going through it again--with
another man--"

He laughed, and she tried to, saying:

"But if all artists are as kind and considerate--"

"Plenty of 'em are more so. There are a few bounders, a moderate number
of beasts. You'll find them everywhere in the world from the purlieus to
the pulpit.... I'm going to make a contract with you. After that,
regretfully, I'll see that you meet the men who will be valuable to
you.... I wish there was some way I could box you up in a jeweller's
case so that nobody else could have you and I could find you when I
needed you!"

She laughed shyly, extended her slim white hand for him to support her
while she mounted to her eyrie. Then, erect, delicately flushed, she let
the robe fall from her and stood looking down at him in silence.

CHAPTER II

Spring came unusually early that year. By the first of the month a few
willows and thorn bushes in the Park had turned green; then, in a single
day, the entire Park became lovely with golden bell-flowers, and the
first mowing machine clinked over the greenswards leaving a fragrance of
clipped verdure in its wake.

Under a characteristic blue sky April unfolded its myriad leaves beneath
which robins ran over shaven lawns and purple grackle bustled busily
about, and the water fowl quacked and whistled and rushed through the
water nipping and chasing one another or, sidling alongside, began that
nodding, bowing, bobbing acquaintance preliminary to aquatic courtship.

Many of the wild birds had mated; many were mating; amorous caterwauling
on back fences made night an inferno; pigeons cooed and bubbled and made
endless nuisances of themselves all day long.

In lofts, offices, and shops youthful faces, whitened by the winter's
pallour, appeared at open windows gazing into the blue above, or, with,
pretty, inscrutable eyes, studied the passing throng till the lifted
eyes of youth below completed th