of an heiress, even a much-petted husband. It was finally
learned, and kisses were exchanged. Then they thought to appease their
hunger, which by this time was acute, and debated how this was to be
done. Adelle was confident that on the morrow she could sell what
jewelry she had with her for enough to support them pleasantly until she
could make it right with the trust company and get hold of her lamp
again. For this evening she borrowed five francs from the suspicious and
unwilling concierge, and with the money Archie went forth to the corner
and brought back a dubious mess of cold food and a bottle of poor wine,
which they consumed in the dark studio, then went to sleep upon the
divan in each other's arms like a couple of romance. Rather late in the
day on the morrow Adelle sallied out in a cab to the Rue de la Paix
confident that she would return with much gold. She found naturally that
her own handiwork was unsalable at any price, and that the fashionable
shops where she had dealt prodigally would not advance her a cent even
upon their own wares. Pussy, she realized, had shut off also this avenue
to ease! They were obliged to induce the concierge's wife to pledge at
the pawnshop the more marketable things Adelle had with her. With the
few francs thus derived they managed to picnic in the studio for the
next week. They became acquainted with busses and the _batteau mouche_
and other lowly forms of transportation and amusement, but spent most of
their time in the studio, love-making, of which Adelle did not weary.
Archie was used to the devices of a short purse and Adelle thought it
all a great lark for love's sake. Besides, it must end soon, and the
high noon of prosperity return with the possession of her precious lamp.
To hasten that event she wrote a rather peremptory note to the
Washington Trust Company, notifying them of her change of name and
complaining of the mistake they had made in cutting off her drafts. It
would take a fortnight at the most to get a reply, and then all would be
right. Archie did not feel so confident.

XXV

Prosperity did not return as completely as Adelle expected, nor as
easily. Mr. Solomon Smith, the vice-president of the trust company,
arrived in Paris in due course on the seventh day and fell naturally
first into the hands of Miss Comstock. For Pussy, realizing to the full
the consequences of this situation to herself as an exploiter of rich
American girls from the very bes