quire it. "You needn't go out on my
account," he grumbled. "I don't expect to see her to-night. She has a
date."

Such was the bitterness with which he said it, that Charley could not
help but laugh again. "Cheer up!" he cried. "It has been known to
happen. Fellows like you take it too hard. Hard wood is slow to
catch, eh, but Lor' what a heat she throws out!"

"Don't jolly me," muttered Evan. "I can't take it!"

Charley's face softened again for an instant. "C'mon with me," he
said. "Mildred Macy in the Spawn of Infamy's at the Nonpareil. Milly
is some vamp I hear."

"Couldn't sit through a picture," said Evan. "You go."

Nevertheless when the dishes were washed up the prospect of spending
the evening alone in the little room was too ghastly. As Charley got
up Evan said sheepishly:

"Believe I will go."

"Bully!" said Charley. "Get your hat."

As they passed her door Evan's ears were long. No sounds came from
within, no crack of light showed beneath. He had been hoping against
hope that she might be there. Where was she? The picture of a little
restaurant rushed before his mind's eye, Corinna and a man on opposite
sides of the table, their smiling faces drawing close over the cloth.
He suffered as much as if he had actually beheld them. That's the
worst of having a vivid imagination.

"Spawn of Infamy" proved to be what Charley termed "High-life for
low-lifers" and they were home shortly after nine. As they mounted the
first flight Evan perceived a crack of light under Corinna's door and
his heart rose. She was home early, she had not had a good time then.
But as they rounded the landing he heard her voice inside. She had a
visitor--alone in there with her! A horrible spasm of pain contracted
his breast. He had much ado to restrain himself from beating with his
fists on the door. He followed Charley up-stairs grinding his teeth.
He had never suspected that such raging devils lay dormant in his blood.

When they got up-stairs it was quite impossible for Evan to remain
there. For a moment or two he walked up and down like something caged;
he could not pretend to hide the feelings that were tearing him.
Charley glancing at him wonderingly out of the tail of his eye, bustled
about talking foolishly.

Finally Evan said thickly: "It's stuffy up here. I'm going down to
walk around the Park awhile."

Charley's eyes followed him compassionately. Charley's time to
experience this sort