ested Courtney. "You're
sure to see him by and by, I know."

"With pleasure," lied Constance miserably, and hurried to finish her
escape. At the door, however, she suddenly turned and came back,
walking nonchalantly but hastily out through the windows upon the side
porch. A second later Paul Gresham and Billy Wobbles, the latter
walking with temperamental knees, passed through the hall.

Courtney looked after Constance in perplexity, but, a servant entering,
he gave orders for the furnishing of the loggia and went up to make
sure of the arrangements. He found Johnny Gamble in moody solitude,
studying with deep intensity the braiding of his sailor straw hat.

"Hello, Johnny!" hailed Courtney cordially. "I was just asking Miss Joy
about you."

Johnny looked at him with reproachful eyes. Courtney was to blame for
his present gloom.

"Thanks," he returned. "What did she say?"

"Not much," replied Courtney, smiling slyly. "She didn't know where you
were, but she's looking for you."

"Where is she?" asked Johnny, jumping up with alacrity.

"She just went out on the side porch of the library," announced
Courtney. "Her message is from me, however. Washer and Close and the
colonel are coming out this noon."

"Thanks," replied Johnny starting away. "Did I understand you to say
the side porch of the library?"

A thin-legged figure stopped in the door and twitched.

"Mornin'," it observed. "I knew Eugene's intellect was woozing again.
Always announcing some plan for us to bore each other, don't you know,
and never having it come off."

"This is the place and the hour, Reggie," declared Mr. Courtney. "If
you'll just stay here I'll send you out a brandy and soda and some
cigars."

"Thanks awfully, old man," returned Reggie, looking dubiously out at
the loggia. It was enticing enough, with its broad, cool, tiled
flooring and its vine-hung arches and its vistas of the tree-clad hills
across the ravine; but it was empty. "I think I'll return when the rest
of them are together.", And Reggie, stumbling against the door-jamb on
his way out, wandered away, choosing the right-hand passage because his
body had happened to lurch in that direction.

"Johnny, if you say anything I'll be peevish," protested Courtney in
advance. "Please remember that the gentleman is a guest of mine."

"I was grinning at something else," Johnny soothed him, still grinning,
however.

"I apologize," observed Courtney. "Do you think the Wobbles f