k, Helen," said the younger girl, more soberly, "that
you are simply trying to make yourself look at it that way? I know Mr.
Hogg isn't a pretty man and he has an awful name, but"----

"There is no but about it, Sadie Burton. I have given my word to
Travers Gladwin and I am going to elope with him to-night. I packed my
trunk this morning and gave the porter $10 to take it secretly to the
Grand Central Station. Travers told me just how to arrange it. Oh,
there's his house now, Sadie; the big white one on the corner. It just
thrills me to go by it. On our way back from Riverside Drive we must
stop there. I must leave word that auntie insists on our going to the
opera and that I won't be able to get to him at the time we agreed."

"Oh, I _do_ wish something would turn up and prevent it," cried Sadie,
almost in tears.

"You horrid little thing!" retorted Helen. "It is dreadful of you to
talk like that when you know how much I care for him."

"It isn't that I don't think you care for him," returned Sadie with
trembling lip. "It's something inside of me that warns me. All this
secrecy frightens me. I can't understand why a man of Travers
Gladwin's wealth and social position would want to do such a thing."

"But we both have tried to tell you," insisted Helen, "that there is
an important business reason for it."

"He didn't tell what that reason was," persisted the tearfully
stubborn cousin. "You admitted he didn't give you any definite reason
at all."

Helen Burton stamped her foot and bit her lip. By this time the big
touring car was gliding through the East Drive of Central Park with
the swift, noiseless motion that denotes the highest development of
the modern motor vehicle. Fully a mile of the curving roadway had slid
under the wheels of the car before Helen resumed the conversation with
the sudden outburst:

"You don't doubt for an instant, Sadie, that he is a gentleman!"

Sadie made no reply.

"His knowledge of painting and art is simply wonderful. At that art
sale, where we met, he knew every painting at a glance. He didn't even
have to look for the signatures. You know, if it hadn't been for him I
would have bought that awful imitation Fragonard and just thrown away
two months of my allowance. Sadie Burton, he is the cleverest man I
ever met. He has travelled everywhere and knows everything, and I love
him, I love him, I love him!" In proof of which the charming young
woman burst into tears and took refuge