ive minutes gone! Have you seen him leave?"

"No, Monte," she answered.

He folded his arms resignedly.

"You don't really mean to act against my wishes, Monte?"

"If that's the only way of getting rid of him," he answered coolly.

"But don't you see--don't you understand that you will only make a
scandal of it?" she said.

"What do you mean?"

"If he makes a scene it will be in the papers, and then--oh, well, they
will ask by what right--"

"I'd answer I was simply ridding you of a crazy man."

"They would smile. Oh, I know them! Here in Paris they won't believe
that a woman who is n't married--"

She stopped abruptly.

Monte's brows came together.

Here was the same situation that had confronted him a few minutes
before. Not only had he no right, but if he assumed a right his claim
might be misinterpreted. Undoubtedly Teddy himself would be the first
to misinterpret it. It would be impossible for a man of his sort to
think in any other direction. And then--well, such stories were easier
to start than to stop.

Monte's lips came together. As far as he himself was concerned, he was
willing to take the risk; but the risk was not his to take. As long as
he found himself unable to devise any scheme by which he could, even
technically, make himself over into her father, her brother, or even a
first cousin, there appeared no possible way in which he could assume
the right that would not make it a risk.

Except one way.

Here Monte caught his breath.

There was just one relationship open to him that would bestow upon him
automatically the undeniable right to say to Teddy Hamilton anything
that might occur to him--that would grant him fuller privileges, now
and for as long as the relationship was maintained, than even that of
blood.

To be sure, the idea was rather staggering. It was distinctly novel,
for one thing, and not at all in his line, for another. This, however,
was a crisis calling for staggering novelties if it could not be
handled in the ordinary way. Ten minutes had already passed.

Monte walked slowly to Marjory's side. She turned and met his eyes.
On the whole, he would have felt more comfortable had she continued
looking out the window.

"Marjory," he said--"Marjory, will you marry me?"

She shrank away.

"Monte!"

"I mean it," he said. "Will you marry me?"

After the first shock she seemed more hurt than anything.

"You are n't going to be like the others?" she pl