t as good as you are, Alma, I should have a lighter heart
than I have now. I know that I'm fickle, but I'm not false, as you think
I am."

"Who said I thought you were false?"

"No one," said Beaton. "It isn't necessary, when you look it--live it."

"Oh, dear! I didn't know I devoted my whole time to the subject."

"I know I'm despicable. I could tell you something--the history of
this day, even--that would make you despise me." Beaton had in mind his
purchase of the overcoat, which Alma was getting in so effectively, with
the money he ought to have sent his father. "But," he went on, darkly,
with a sense that what he was that moment suffering for his selfishness
must somehow be a kind of atonement, which would finally leave him
to the guiltless enjoyment of the overcoat, "you wouldn't believe the
depths of baseness I could descend to."

"I would try," said Alma, rapidly shading the collar, "if you'd give me
some hint."

Beaton had a sudden wish to pour out his remorse to her, but he was
afraid of her laughing at him. He said to himself that this was a very
wholesome fear, and that if he could always have her at hand he should
not make a fool of himself so often. A man conceives of such an office
as the very noblest for a woman; he worships her for it if he is
magnanimous. But Beaton was silent, and Alma put back her head for
the right distance on her sketch. "Mr. Fulkerson thinks you are the
sublimest of human beings for advising him to get Colonel Woodburn to
interview Mr. Dryfoos about Lindau. What have you ever done with your
Judas?"

"I haven't done anything with it. Nadel thought he would take hold of
it at one time, but he dropped it again. After all, I don't suppose
it could be popularized. Fulkerson wanted to offer it as a premium to
subscribers for 'Every Other Week,' but I sat down on that."

Alma could not feel the absurdity of this, and she merely said, "'Every
Other Week' seems to be going on just the same as ever."

"Yes, the trouble has all blown over, I believe. Fulkerson," said
Beaton, with a return to what they were saying, "has managed the whole
business very well. But he exaggerates the value of my advice."

"Very likely," Alma suggested, vaguely. "Or, no! Excuse me! He couldn't,
he couldn't!" She laughed delightedly at Beaton's foolish look of
embarrassment.

He tried to recover his dignity in saying, "He's 'a very good fellow,
and he deserves his happiness."

"Oh, indeed!" said Alma