who came?" he demanded, "Brockton?"

"Yes."

"You didn't know, did you?"

"Yes, I did."

"That he was coming?"

"He wired me when he reached Kansas City."

"Does he know?"

"About us?"

"Yes."

"I've told him."

"When?"

"To-day."

"Here?"

"Yes."

Madison looked at her closely for a moment. Then slowly, he asked:

"What was the result?"

"I think it hurt him."

"Naturally."

Thoughtfully, almost pensively, she added:

"More than I had any idea it would."

Madison shrugged his big, square shoulders, and sinking into a chair,
said laconically:

"I'm sorry."

"He cautioned me to be very careful, and to be sure I knew my way."

"That's right," nodded Madison approvingly.

Laura took a couple of cushions from a sofa near one of the windows,
and returning to where he was sitting, threw them on the ground near
his chair. From the interior of the house floated the soulful strains
of a Chopin nocturne. Sitting down quietly at his feet, she said
softly:

"John."

"What, dear?"

"We've been very happy all summer."

"Very."

"This thing has gradually been growing on us."

"That's true," he assented.

Musingly she went on:

"I little thought when I came out here to Denver to play in a little
stock company, that it was going to bring me all this happiness; but it
has, hasn't it?"

He smiled indulgently and caressed her golden hair. Changing her
position, she got up and sat on his knee, her arms around his neck.
After a moment's silence she said:

"Now the season's over, there's nothing to keep me in Colorado. I've
got to go back to New York and work."

"I know," he replied gloomily. "I've been awake all night thinking
about it."

"Well?" she asked anxiously.

"Well?" he repeated, without satisfying her curiosity.

"What are we going to do?" she inquired.

He remained silent for a moment; then he said:

"Why, you've got to go, I suppose."

"Is it good-bye?"

He nodded gloomily.

"For a while, I suppose--it's good-bye."

Turning his face round so she could see it, she looked searchingly at
him.

"What do you mean by 'a while'?"

"Until I get money enough together, and am making enough to support
you. Then I'll come and take you out of the show business and make you
Mrs. Madison."

She tightened her arm around his neck and placed her cheek lovingly
against his. In one fond, pure caress she showed him all the affection
of which a woman is capable. Fondling up agai