he was listening with all her might.

Not a little astonished, Kendrick watched her. Then at his slight
cough the girl straightened quickly and stared at him with widened
eyes. In answer to his beckoning finger she came towards him slowly,
her color mounting swiftly. When she had shut the last door behind her
she faced him with an air of defiance.

Kendrick gazed at her in speechless admiration of the picture she made
as she stood there, symmetrical figure gracefully erect, her head held
high with its elaborate coiffure of brown hair, her dark blue eyes
flashing resentment. The creamy column of her well shaped neck, the
firm chin, the almost classic perfection of her features, the rich red
of her cheeks--wherever did Ferguson go for his secretaries? She was
plainly dressed in some dark material with white collar and cuffs; but
the sensible office dress served only to heighten the pleasing effect.
There was only one jarring note--the fact that she was chewing gum,
chewing it rapidly as if to relieve nervous tension.

"Well! Hope you'll know me next time you see me! Get it off your
chest please! Whatcha goin' to do about it?"

Kendrick smiled slowly at the incongruity of the speech, even while
thankful that her voice at least was not in harsh discord with her
appearance, but well modulated.

"I beg your pardon," he apologized, realizing all at once that he had
been guilty of staring somewhat longer than was warranted even by the
unusual circumstances. "I am very short-sighted and there are times
when I cannot distinguish objects at a greater distance than a very few
feet. This morning my eyes are exceptionally bad."

She glanced at him quickly as if searching for indications of mockery
which were lacking in the courteous tones of his voice.

"If you will be good enough to take in my card----?" he suggested,
extending it.

She hesitated, then laid down her notebook and accepted the card
without speaking. Ferguson coming to meet him at the door with
extended hand, stopped short and stared.

"It's a peach, Phil! I must admit it's a peach!"

"A Lombard plum, you mean, Blatch. How'd I get it? Why, you see,--I
had the misfortune to step on a wayward banana skin---- Oh, well, if
you really must know, I tried to help an old lady pick up some bundles
she'd dropped and she hit me with her umbrella, thinking I was going to
grab them and run."

"Come right in. Come right in," chuckled Ferguson. "Here, ha