some continued narrative that made her blue eyes shine and
her dimples deepen.

Adelaide was not temperamentally jealous. She did not, like Vincent, hate
and fear any person or thing or idea that drew his attention away; on the
contrary, she wanted him to give his full attention to anything that
would make for his power and success. She was not jealous, but it did
cross her mind that she was looking now at her successor.

They stopped laughing as she entered, and Vincent said:

"Thank you, Dr. Parret, you have given me just what I wanted."

"Marty would just as lief as not stick a knife in me if he knew," said
Lily, not as if she were afraid, but as if this was one of the normal
risks of her profession. She turned to Adelaide, "O Mrs. Farron, I've
heard of you from Pete Wayne. Isn't he perfectly delightful? But, then,
he ought to be with such a mother."

Adelaide had a very useful smile, which could maintain a long, but
somewhat meaningless, brilliance. She employed it now, and it lasted
until Lily had gone.

"That's a very remarkable girl," said Farron, remembrances of smiles
still on his lips.

"Does she think every one perfect?"

"Almost every one; that's how she keeps going at such a rate."

"How long have you known her?"

"About ten minutes. Pete got her here. She knew something about Marty
that I needed." He spoke as if he was really interested in the business
before him; he did not betray by so much as a glance the recognition that
they were alone, though she was calling his attention to the fact by
every line of her figure and expression of her face. She saw his hand
move on his desk. Was it coming to hers? He rang a bell. "Is Burke in the
outer office? Send him in."

Adelaide's heart began to beat as Marty, in his working-clothes,
entered. He was more suppressed and more sulky than she had yet seen him.

"I've been trying to see you, Mr. Farron," he began; but Vincent cut in:

"One moment, Burke. I have something to say to you. That bout you said
you had with O'Hallohan--"

"Well, what of it?" answered Marty, suddenly raising his voice.

"He knocked you out."

"Who says so?" roared Burke.

"He knocked you out," repeated Vincent.

"Who says so?" Burke roared again, and somehow there was less confidence
in the same volume of sound.

"Well, not O'Hallohan; He stayed bought. But I have it straight. No, I'm
not trying to draw you out on a guess. I don't play that kind of game. If
I tell you I