course.

So they fell into the way of making little expeditions together, and
Dick no longer joked with Ellery about this delectable morsel of
pinkness, but kept his growing intimacy to himself. This dell by the
way, into which he had strayed by accident, was becoming more
fascinating than the crammed highway with its buzzing life.

July and August and September passed and, in spite of her reserve, Dick
felt that he was coming to know little Lena well. He had told her all
about himself, his mother, his three-cornered intimacy with Norris and
Madeline, his plans for his own future, and to all she listened,
sometimes with a dreamy far-off look in the big eyes, sometimes with a
swift smile of sympathy, in spite of the fact that he and his point of
view were often puzzling to her. And he brought dainties and flowers to
the dingy room.

Lena, on her side, thoroughly enjoyed some phases of her acquaintance
with Mr. Percival. Apart from all other considerations, it was a real
pleasure to prove herself the actress she knew she was. She pretended,
when she was with him, that she was a wholly different kind of person.
It was fun to do it well and convincingly and deliberately. It was
exhilarating.

But deeper, far deeper than her histrionic satisfaction lay the hope
that Dick Percival might be the key to some other kind of life than that
she led; and as the months went by, this hidden intimacy, delicious to
him because of its very remoteness, began to irritate her. Was he
ashamed of her? Was he playing with her? Privately she found Prince
Charming, unless he meant something more than a half-hour now and again,
something of a bore. Of what pleasure could it be to her that he was
rich and happy and full of plans and in touch with all that was
delightful, if he gave none of this to her?

One evening she seemed listless as she sat enduring an account of a
garden party he had been to the day before. He had thought it might
amuse her, but it evidently didn't.

"I'm always telling you of my affairs," he said half querulously. "Why
don't you give me your experiences?"

"There's nothing to tell," she said dully. "You've had so many
interesting things happen, and you expect ever so many more lovely
things to come, but I've always been pinched, and I shall have to keep
on pinching for ever, I guess."

"Nonsense!" Dick answered impulsively. "The future is sure to bring you
better things."

She looked down a moment, and Dick had