ve at least broken even."

"Even! Mein Gott!" repeated Epstein with a groan. "You've taken ten
years--"

"You've got back ten already," the young man blithely reminded him.
"That's fine! As I say, we're even. But from this time on, one thing
must be definitely understood: Henceforth I'm not in leading-strings of
any kind, however kindly they are put on me. If this association is to
continue, there must be no more practical jokes, no more supervision, no
more interference with me or my affairs. Is that agreed?"

"You bet it is!" corroborated Epstein. Again he wiped his brow. "I can't
stand the pace you fellas set," he admitted.

Bangs nodded. "That's agreed. You're too good a boomerang for little
Rodney."

"For my part," continued Laurie, "I promise to get to work on the new
play, beginning next Monday."

"You will!" the two men almost shouted.

"I will. I've got to stand by Louise for the next two or three months,
and we'll write the play while I'm doing it. Then, whether America
enters the war this spring or not, I'm going to France. But we'll talk
over all that later. Are you off?"

He ushered them to the door.

"And it's all right, boy?" Epstein asked wistfully. "You know how vell
ve meant. You ain't got no hard feelings about this?"

"Not one." Laurie wrung his hand. Then, with an arm across Rodney's
shoulders, he gave him a bearish hug. "I'll see you a little later," he
promised.

Rodney suddenly looked self-conscious.

"Perhaps then you'll give me a chance to tell you some news," he
suggested, with a mixture of triumph and embarrassment. Epstein's
knowing grin enlightened Laurie.

"Sonya?" he asked eagerly.

"Yep. Great, isn't it?"

Laurie stared at him.

"By Jove, you _have_ been busy!" he conceded. "Between manufacturing a
frame-up for me, and winning a wife, you must have put in a fairly full
week even for you." His arm tightened round his chum's shoulders. "I'm
delighted, old man," he ended, seriously. "Sonya is the salt of the
earth. Tell her she has my blessing."

When he reentered the room he found Doris standing in its center,
waiting for him. Something in her pose reminded him of their first
moments together in that familiar setting. She had carried off the
original scene very well. Indeed, she had carried off very well most of
the scenes she had been given.

"You'll be a big hit in the new play," he cheerfully remarked, as he
came toward her.

"Laurie--" Her voice trembled. "Yo