not_ get married."

Here, I regret to say, Edith suddenly laughed. She threw her head back
and jeered at me.

"You!" she chortled, and pointed one slim finger at me mockingly. "You,
who are so mad about one girl that you love all women for her sake! You,
who go white instead of red when she comes into the room! You, who have
let your practice go to the dogs to be near her, and then never speak to
her when she's around, but sit with your mouth open like a puppy begging
for candy, ready to snap up every word she throws you and wiggle with
joy!"

I was terrified.

"Honestly, Edith, do I do that?" I gasped. But she did not answer; she
only leaned over and kissed Fred.

"Women like men to be awful fools about them," she said. "That's why I'm
so crazy about Freddie." He writhed.

"If I tell you something nice, Jack, will you make it a room-size rug?"

"Room size it is."

"Then--Margery's engagement ring was stolen last night and when I
commiserated her she said--dear me, the lamp's out and the coffee is
cold!"

"Remarkable speech, under the circumstances," said Fred.

Edith rang the bell and seemed to be thinking. "Perhaps we'd better make
it four small rugs instead of one large one," she said.

"Not a rug until you have told me what Margery said," firmly.

"Oh, that! Why, she said it really didn't matter about the ring. She had
never cared much about it anyway."

"But that's only a matter of taste," I protested, somewhat disappointed.
But Edith got up and patted me on the top of my head.

"Silly," she said. "If the right man came along and gave her a rubber
teething ring, she'd be crazy about it for his sake."

"Edith!" Fred said, shocked. But Edith had gone.

She took me up-stairs before I left for the office to measure for the
Shirvan, Edith being a person who believes in obtaining a thing while
the desire for it is in its first bloom. Across the hall Fred was
talking to Margery through the transom.

"Mustard leaves are mighty helpful," he was saying. "I always take 'em
on shipboard. And cheer up: land's in sight."

I would have given much for Fred's ease of manner when, a few minutes
later, Edith having decided on four Shirvans and a hall runner, she took
me to the door of Margery's room.

She was lying very still and pale in the center of the white bed, and
she tried bravely to smile at us.

"I hope you are better," I said. "Don't let Edith convince you that my
coffee has poisoned you."

She s