d to look, he drew to him so tightly as
almost to crush her; and with one palm he raised the averted face to
his, and made deliberate conquest of the lips of vivid red. Once,
twice, three times--and then she put her hands against his shoulders
and pushed him away. Her face flamed.

"Eugene!" she exclaimed, "how----"

"Good night!" he answered, "my dearest, my darling, good night!"

And he ran down the street, in such a conflict of emotions that he
hardly knew whither he went.

XII

ON THE FIRM GROUND OF BUSINESS

O merry it was in the good greenwood when the goblin and
sprite ranged free,
When the kelpie haunted the shadowed flood, and the dryad
dwelt in the tree;
But merrier far is the trolley-car as it routs the witch from
the wold,
And the din of the hammer and the cartridges' clamor as
they banish the swart kobold!
O, a sovran cure for psychic dizziness
Is a breath of the air of the world of business!
--_Idyls of a Sky-Scraper_.

It is recorded in the last chapter that Mr. Amidon ran from Miss
Waldron's presence in such a state of agitation that he hardly knew
whither he went. To the reader who wonders why he was agitated, I have
only to hint that he was wretchedly inexperienced. And as it was, he
soon got his bearings and walked briskly toward his hotel; still,
however, in a state of mind entirely new to him.

Gradually he lessened his gait, absorbed in mental reconstructions of
his parting with Elizabeth. The pet lion which, while affectionately
licking the hand which caresses it, brings the blood, and at the taste
reverts instantly to its normal savagery, is acted on by impulses much
like those of Amidon. His thoughts were successions of moving pictures
of the splendid girl whom he had held in his arms and kissed. He saw
her sitting by the fire as he entered. His mind's eye dwelt on the
image of the strong, full figure and the lovely head and wondrous eyes.
He felt her lean against him as they stood by the table, and his arms
fairly ached with the thrill of that parting embrace. His lips
throbbed still with the half-ravished kisses, and he stopped with an
insane impulse to return and repeat the tender robbery. Then,
wondering at the turbulence of his thoughts, he walked on.

During this pause, he was dimly conscious that a person whom he had
seen approaching had neared the point of meeting, and after a moment's
halt, had passed on. As