nds. Everybody was there and the success of the
evening came when Pink Herriford told his mule story. Peter made him do
it, and everybody adored it. And just as they were all laughing and
exclaiming at the droll way in which he characterized those resurgent
mules, I looked down the table and happened to see that Clyde Tolbot was
holding Editha Morris Carruthers's hand in a way that anybody who
understood these matters knew from the position of their shoulders that
such was the case.

"A taxicab lost us on Broadway at ten dollars per second, and I made
connection with her wires before found," he whispered to me, as we all
rose to go, just as the night was also taking its departure from New
York. New York in the daytime is like a huge football game in which a
million or two players all fall on the ball of life at the same time and
kick and squirm and fight over it; but at night it is a dragon with
billions of flaming eyes that only blink out when it is time to crawl
away from the rising sun and get in a hole until the dark comes again.
It is the most wonderful city in the world to stay in until you are
ready to go home.

Sam hadn't been at Peter's supper-party, and neither had Judge Vandyne,
but I didn't worry about that. I never worry about Sam. I just like to
know he is somewhere near and then forget him--if I am allowed, which I
am not if Sam can think up some important work for me to do. At six
o'clock in the morning I laid down the papers with Peter's triumph in
them and rolled into bed, dead with sleep; and before seven Sam had sent
me a note that forced me to open my eyes and stagger up and on. It said:

DEAR BETTY,--Get a maid at the hotel to come with you to the
following address. I need you badly. A reliable taxi is waiting.
SAM.

Horrible thoughts of somebody's having kidnapped Sam flashed across my
brain as I threw on my clothes. How had he happened to come to New York,
anyway, and then disappear right after the play? What kind of trouble
could he be in, and how could I help? I looked in my purse and found
only ten dollars, but I felt the roll that I always carry in my stocking
and it still felt a respectable size. I never count money when I am
spending it, because you don't enjoy it so much; and I had been away
from home three weeks. Still, if I had to bribe or buy Sam out of
anything, I could get more some place. I must hurry to do