e thought, "how eager I would be to
explain what was taking me away from her, but she is mum!"

"Come to-morrow night," she said.

He bowed stiffly.

She hesitated a moment as if about to explain, then thought better of
it, and hurried away, leaving Evan inwardly fuming.

He plumped down on a bench across the square from 45A, and thrusting
his hands deep in his pockets, stretched out his legs and scowled at
the pavement. A "platonic friendship" had no charms for him then.
"I'm a fool!" he said to himself. "Her brother!"--a bitter note of
laughter escaped him, "when I'm out of my mind with wanting her! What
a fool I was to stand for it! She's just playing the regular girl's
game--no blame to her of course, it's their instinct to keep a man at
arm's length as long as they can. It pleases them to have us on the
grill. And I fell for it! I'm on my way to make a precious fool of
myself. If I can't find out where she's going to-night, I'll be clean
off my nut before morning. But I wouldn't ask her! And if she's going
out with another man--! Lord! which is worse, to know or not to know?"

When he let himself in the door of 45A, Miss Sisson, according to her
custom, poked her head out into the hall to see who it was. She came
out.

"Oh, Mr. Weir," she said importantly, "where have you been?"

"Out," said Evan stiffly.

She was too much excited to perceive the snub. "There's been a man
here for you half a dozen times I guess."

"What did he want?"

"I don't know. Says it's most important."

"Who was he?"

"Wouldn't give his name. Acted most mysterious."

"What sort of looking man?"

"A young fellow about your age, but scarcely a friend of yours I should
say. A mean-like face."

This meant nothing to Evan. He looked blank.

"The last time he was here he said he'd wait," Miss Sisson went on,
"but I said there was no place inside, because I didn't like his looks,
so he said he'd wait in the Square and----"

The sound of the door-bell interrupted her.

"Here he is now!"

Evan opened the door and discovered Alfred, the Deaves' second man, on
the step. Alfred smiled insinuatingly, but with a difference from
their first meeting, more warily. Miss Sisson pressed forward to hear
what he had to say.

"Can I see you a moment?" he said to Evan meaningly.

Evan looked at Miss Sisson, who forthwith retired with a chagrined
flirt of her skirts.

"They sent me for you," said Alfred.

Evan's eye