ne spirit. Then at times she
imagined she heard distant hammering and the slap of a falling board.

Probably Allie had not stayed in this room many moments when she began
to feel that she had been there hours. Surely the woman would return
soon with Neale. And the very thoughts drove all else out of her mind,
leaving her palpitating with hope, sick with longing.

Footsteps outside distracted her from the nervous, dreamy mood. Some one
was coming along the hall. Her heart gave a wild bound--then sank. The
steps passed by her door. She heard the thick, maudlin voice of a man
and the hollow, trilling laugh of a girl.

Allie's legs began to grow weak under her. The strain, the suspense,
the longing grew to be too much for her and occasioned a revulsion of
feeling. She had let her hopes carry her too high.

Suddenly the door-handle rattled and turned. Allie was brought to a
stifling expectancy, motionless in the center of the room. Some one was
outside at the door. Could it be Neale? It must be! Her sensitive ears
caught short, puffing breaths--then the click of a key in the lock.
Allie stood there in an anguish of suspense, with the lift of her heart
almost suffocating her. Like a leaf in the wind she quivered.

Whoever was out there fumbled at the key. Then the lock rasped, the
handle turned, the door opened. A tall man swaggered in, with head bent
sideways, his hand removing the key from the lock. Before he saw Allie
he closed the door. With that he faced around.

Allie recognized the red face, the flashing eyes, the flaming hair.

"Larry!" she cried, with bursting heart. She took a quick step, ready to
leap into his arms, but his violent start checked her. Larry staggered
back--put a hand out. His face was heated and flushed as Allie had never
seen it. A stupid surprise showed there. Slowly his hand moved up
to cross his lips, to brush through his red hair; then with swifter
movement it swept back to feel the door, as if he wanted the touch of
tangible things.

"Reckon I'm seein' 'em again!" he muttered to himself. "Oh, Larry--I'm
Allie Lee!" she cried, holding out her hands.

She saw the color fade out of his face. A shock seemed to go over his
body. He took a couple of dragging strides toward her. His eyes had the
gaze of a man who did not believe what he saw. The hand he reached out
shook.

"I'm no ghost! Larry, don't--you--know me?" she faltered. Indeed he must
have thought her a phantom. Great, clammy dro