e of your time--just a little."

Juanita flashed her a look.

"I am sure Senyor Carkaire weel geeve you the time now," she said. "Eet
ees not important what I have to say."

Madge had a delicate gold chain about her neck, and to the end of this
chain was attached a small locket. This locket she now displayed, asking
Carker if he remembered it.

"I think I do," he answered.

"I should think you would!" she laughed. "You gave it to me. Don't you
think it a pretty little locket, senyorita?"

"Veree," answered Juanita.

"Yes," said Madge, with a sigh, "Gregory gave me this little trinket.
He gave me something else. Let's see if I can open it."

She succeeded in opening the locket, and again held it up before Carker.

"See," she went on, "it's your picture, Greg--your picture and mine.
I've worn this locket every day since you gave it to me."

"Oo!" murmured Juanita, with just the least touch of malice. "Deed you
show eet to your husband, senyora?"

Mrs. Morton shrugged her shoulders and lowered the corners of her mouth.

"He saw it," she replied. "We had more than one little disagreement over
it. He threatened to take it away from me."

Carker was decidedly uncomfortable. Glancing toward Juanita, he observed
that her cheeks were flushed and she seemed decidedly disturbed.

"It was rather a piece of folly on my part," he said. "You know a man
gets foolish at times, Mrs. Morton."

"Oh, Mrs. Morton!" exclaimed Madge. "How formal you are, Gregory! You
were not nearly so formal yesterday. You were not nearly so formal when
I met you alone."

Her eyes were on Juanita as she uttered these words. She saw the girl
bite her lip.

"Eet ees a veree strange game thees baseball," said Juanita, turning to
Teresa. "Do you understand eet?"

"Never mind her," said Madge Morton, pulling at Carker's sleeve. "Why do
you pay her so much attention?"

"Do you wish to know?" he asked, in a low tone. "Then I'll tell you. I'm
in love with her."

The woman looked at him with incredulous eyes, then threw back her head
and laughed.

"More of your folly, Greg," she said. "You always were a silly chap. In
love with that girl? Don't be foolish, my boy. She's nothing but a kid."

"I don't like that word kid."

"Oh, I suppose you think it very unladylike to use such slang. Children
like this girl are amusing, but only unsophisticated boys and doddering
old men fall in love with them. You're neither, Greg Carker."

"No, I'm neit