that. At last I said: "How are the
Fultons?"

"Well, John comes and goes. He seems to have gotten back his health.
The kids are fine . . . of course they are not what they _were_ as a
family. That's obvious. But Lucy seems to have come to her senses.
She was very gay at first. Then she went round looking--well, she
looked frightened. Lots of people noticed it. It was as if the doctor
had told her she had lung trouble. She quit riding and dropped out of
everything--except very quiet little dinners. Then she got very
interested in her yard, and had experts over from Berckman's and did a
lot of new planting . . ."

"But why did she look frightened? There wasn't anything the matter,
was there?"

"Well, you know the trouble she made for John, wouldn't be his wife and
all that? Well, he seems to have won her round to his way of looking
at compromise--or she got more or less fond of him again. I don't
know."

"I don't quite understand what you're driving at."

"You _don't_? Why, she's to have a baby. And everybody who knew there
had been trouble says, 'Thank God for that.'"

My hands began to tremble so that I had to hide them under the table at
which we were sitting.

"Bully, isn't it?" said Harry; fortunately he had turned his head to
look at two very lovely young women who had strolled into the palm
garden.

"Bully," I said.

"See those two, Archie?" he said in a guarded voice.

"Sure I see them."

"One of 'em's the famous Mrs. Paxton, who----"

"I know."

"Met her last autumn at----" He rose suddenly to his feet, and
advanced to meet the two women. "Hello, there! Glad to see you."

Mrs. Paxton's cool demure face broke into a delighted smile.

"Why, Harry!" she exclaimed. "Miss Coles, let me introduce Mr.
Colemain."

A moment later Harry had dragged me forward (literally) and I was being
introduced. Miss Coles had very beautiful brown eyes, very white
teeth, and a very deep dimple.

"Why," said Harry, "shouldn't all you good people dine with me?"

"Why not?" exclaimed Mrs. Paxton.

I started to say that I had a pressing engagement, discovered Miss
Coles' exceedingly beautiful eyes lifted to mine, and saw upon her face
an expression of the most alluring mockery, and so--"Why not?" said I.

We had a long and a merry dinner. I felt defiant of life, a man
without responsibilities, who owed nothing and to whom nothing was owed.

After dinner we went strolling in the moonlight. H