d pendant from her neckchain.

Silence--the ironing board between them--she standing, bright head
lowered, worrying the jewel with childish fingers; he following every
movement, fascinated, spellbound.

After a moment, without looking up: "You have been very, very nice to me--
in the nicest possible way," she said.... "I am not going to forget it
easily--even if I might wish to."

"I can never forget _you!_... I d-don't want to."

The sparkling pendant escaped her fingers; she picked it up again and
spoke as though gravely addressing it:

"Some day somewhere," she said, looking at the jewel, "perhaps chance--
the hazard of life--may bring us to--togeth--to acquaintance--a more
formal acquaintance than this.... I hope so. This has been a little--
irregular, and perhaps you had better not wait for my maid.... I hope we
may meet--sometime."

"I hope so, too," he managed to say, with so little fervor and so
successful an imitation of her politely detached interest in convention
that she raised her eyes. They dropped immediately, because his quiet
voice and speech scarcely conformed to the uncontrolled protest in his
eyes.

For a moment she stood, passing the golden links through her white
fingers like a young novice with a rosary. Steps on the stairs disturbed
them; the recessional had begun; four solemn persons filed out the area
gate. At the same moment, suave and respectful, her butler pro tem.
presented himself at the doorway:

"Luncheon is served, madam."

"Thank you." She looked uncertainly at Brown, hesitated, flushed a
trifle.

"I will stay here and admit the plumber and then--then--I'll g-go," he
said with a heartbroken smile.

"I suppose you took the opportunity to lunch when you went out?" she
said. Her inflection made it a question.

Without answering he stepped back to allow her to pass. She moved
forward, turned, undecided.

"_Have_ you lunched?"

"Please don't feel that you ought to ask me," he began, and checked
himself as the vivid pink deepened in her cheeks. Then she freed herself
of embarrassment with a little laugh.

"Considering," she said, "that we have been chasing cats on the back
fences together and that, subsequently, you dug me out of the coal in my
own cellar, I can't believe it is very dreadful if I ask you to luncheon
with me.... Is it?"

"It is ador--it is," he corrected himself firmly, "exceedingly civil of
you to ask me!"

"Then--will you?" almost timidly.

"I will