inute. I've got an idea."

("Good; use it.")

"Wait now. Wait now, I am thinking." Tom was trying to recall if he had
closed the parlor door when he came upstairs. "Yes, I think I did."

("Think you did what?")

"Nothing. I wasn't talking to you. I was thinking. Say, put your ear
close to the telephone. I've got to talk low."

("Why, I have got the thing right against my ear anyway. What are you
talking about?")

"Listen. This is the scheme. I'll come if I can," he whispered into the
receiver. "I don't think the Mis'es wants to go to the Tad-Wallington
dance, and I'll work it so that I shall go alone. If I succeed I'll be
with you."

("What? What's that?")

"I say," he repeated more distinctly, "if Mrs. P. doesn't want to go to
the dance I'll try to go by myself and shall be with you."

("You say that you and Mrs. P. are going to the dance.")

"Oh, you deaf fool! No! I say that if she _doesn't_ go to the dance
maybe I shall--_be_--_with_--_you_."

("Oh, I understand you. Good. If you are as clever as you are at getting
every one in against a pat full-house you will succeed. Come early. Luck
to you. Good-by.")

If Tom were right in thinking he had closed the parlor door he was
considerably surprised and flustered to find it ajar when he came down
stairs. But Mrs. Porter was still reading the evening paper and did not
look as if she had been disturbed by the telephoning. There was a slight
flush on her cheeks, however, that he had not noticed before, but that
may have been caused by the noble sacrifice of his own wishes for hers.

"I am glad, Tom, you told him you could not come," Mrs. Porter said,
looking at him affectionately. "It is so good of you to give up to my
little whims."

Tom said mentally: "I guess she did not hear it all, at least."

"I know," she went on, "that I was brought up on a narrow plane, and any
sort of gambling seems wicked."

"But at first you would not play cards at all, and then you learned
euchre. All games of cards look alike to me."

"I suppose they do, but euchre is a simple, interesting pastime; whist
is a scientific--a--a--mental--exercise, developing the mind, and so
forth, while poker cheats people out of their money,--at least, they
lose money they ought to use other ways,--or else they win some and then
have ill-gotten gains, which is worse."

"But poker is a great nerve developer," Tom protested feebly.

"But it's gambling."

"Well, how about playing euchre f