love--" He remembered me suddenly and stopped.

"Please go on," she said sweetly from the window. "Do not mind Minnie.
She is my conscience, anyhow. She is always scolding me; you might both
scold in chorus."

"I wouldn't presume to scold."

"Then give me a little advice and look superior and righteous. I'm
accustomed to that also."

"As long as you are in this mood, I can't give you anything but a very
good day," he said angrily, and went toward the door. But when he had
almost reached it he turned.

"I will say this," he said, "you have known for three days that Mr.
Thoburn was going to have a supper to-night, and you didn't let us know.
You must have known his purpose."

I guess I was as surprised as she was. I'd never suspected she knew.

She looked at him over her shoulder.

"Why shouldn't he have a supper?" she demanded angrily. "I'm
starving--we're all starving for decent food. I'm kept here against my
will. Why shouldn't I have one respectable meal? You with your wretched
stewed fruits and whole-wheat breads! Ugh!"

"I'm sorry. Thoburn's idea, of course, is to make the guests
discontented, so they will leave."

"Oh!" she said. She hadn't thought of that, and she flushed. "At least,"
she said, "you must give me credit for not trying to spoil Dick and
Dolly's chance here."

"We are going to allow the party to go on," he said, still stiff and
uncompromising. It would have been better if he'd accepted her bit of
apology.

"How kind of you! I dare say he would have it, anyhow." She was
sarcastic again.

"Probably. And you--will go?"

"Certainly."

"Even when the result--"

"Oh, don't preach!" she said, putting her hands to her ears. "If you and
Minnie want to preach, why don't you preach at each other? Minnie talks
'love, love, love.' And you preach health and morality. You drive me
crazy between you."

"Suppose," he said with a gleam in his eyes, "suppose I preach 'love,
love, love!'"

She put her fingers in her ears again. "Say it to Minnie," she cried,
and turned her back to him.

"Very well," he said. "Minnie, Miss Jennings refuses to listen, and
there are some things I must say. Once again I am going to register a
protest against her throwing herself away in a loveless marriage. I--I
feel strongly on the subject, Minnie."

She half turned, as if to interrupt. Then she thought better of it and
kept her fingers in her ears, her face flushed. But he had learned what
he hoped--that she c