the silken pillows when
his signal sounded in telegraphic sequence on the tiny concealed bell.

The still air of the room was yet tremulous with the silvery vibration
when he entered, looked around, caught sight of her, and came swiftly
toward her.

She looked up at him in her sweet, idly humorous way, unstirring.

"This is becoming a habit with you, Clive."

"Didn't you care to see me this afternoon?" he asked so seriously that
the girl laughed outright and stretched out one hand to him.

"Clive, you're becoming ponderous! Do you know it? Suppose I didn't
care to see you this particular afternoon. Is there any reason why you
should take it so seriously?"

"Plenty of reasons," he said, saluting her smooth, cool hand,--"with
all these people at your heels every minute--"

"Please don't pretend--"

"I'm _not_ jealous. But all these men--Cecil and Jimmy Allys--they're
beginning to be a trifle annoying to me."

She laughed in unfeigned and malicious delight:

"They don't annoy _me_! No girl ever was annoyed by overattention from
her suitors--except Penelope--and _I_ don't believe she had such a
horrid time of it either, until her husband came home and shot up the
whole _the dansant_."

He was still standing beside her couch without offering to seat
himself; and she let him remain standing a few minutes longer before
she condescended to move aside on her pillows and nod a tardy
invitation.

"Has it been an interesting day, Clive?"

"Rather."

"And you have really gone back into business again?"

"Yes."

"And will the real estate market rally at the news of your august
reappearance?" she inquired mischievously.

"I haven't a doubt of it," he said with gravity.

[Illustration: "'There is your extra,' she said pleasantly."]

"Wonderful, Clive! And I think I'd better get in on the ground floor
before values go sky-rocketing. Do you want a commission from me?"

"Of course."

"Very well. Buy me the old Hotel Greensleeve."

He smiled; but she said with pretty seriousness: "I really have been
thinking about it. Do you suppose it could be bought reasonably? It's
really a pretty place. And there's a hundred acres--or there was.... I
would like to have a modest house somewhere in the country."

"Are you in earnest, Athalie?"

"Really I am.... Couldn't that old house be fixed over inexpensively?
You know it's nearly two hundred years old, and the lines are good if
the gingerbread verandas and modern bay w