hes and coffee. Gloria saw
the page as he came to the doorway; he stood, an envelope in his hand,
looking up and down the room. When at last his eyes rested on her and
her companion, the boy came to the table.

"Telegram, Mr. Gratton."

Gratton, more interested in what she was saying than in the yellow
envelope, opened it carelessly. But in a flash his attention was whipped
away from her; she stopped in the middle of a sentence and knew that he
had not noticed. A quick spurt of blood flushed his dead-white skin;
his eyes grew bright with excitement. He read in a sweeping glance, and
before his eyes came back to her they went hurriedly to his watch.

"I've got to go, Gloria," he said nervously. "Immediately. This is
important."

"Why, of course," she agreed. "I can get a bite when I get home."

He thrust the telegram into his pocket and came around to the back of
her chair. He was all impatience; it seemed he could not wait until hat
and coats were gotten. On the way to the street he looked again at his
watch.

"I've got to go out of town," he explained. "I'll be gone a couple of
days."

"But this is only Wednesday!"

"And usually I don't go before Saturday?" He was tapping at his
cigarette-case as they came to their taxi. "Yes. But something has
happened."

He helped her in and lifted his foot to follow.

"Gloria," he muttered, "I can't make it. If I see you home I will miss
the last boat across the bay."

She was more and more interested. She had never known Gratton to show
emotion as he showed it to-night; she was more and more curious about
that "business" which carried him out of town. Why hadn't he tossed the
telegram across the table for her to read? Here was a shut door, and
from being barred a door always invites the more temptingly. Especially
to a girl like Gloria.

"Why, I can go home alone--"

"I don't like it. I--" He ended abruptly and thrust his head into the
car, his eyes questing hers in the half-light; the chauffeur with his
engine going looked over his shoulder.

"Come with me, Gloria!"

Gloria wondered what he meant: whether the man was suggesting an
elopement or just a wild bit of downright unconventionality.

"I mean it," said Gratton. "Listen. The new day has already started. By
the time the ferry lands us in Oakland it will be nearly three o'clock.
I've got to drive up into the country; we'll phone your mother and will
start right away. We'll get there long before noon; we'l