onversation took place almost every night. As soon as she could
she carried everything into her room. Then she and Milly sat down to the
function of dinner. Milly sat on a high chair at one side of the sewing
table, Jane at the other.

"Milly, you're a good, steady friend, but I just ache to have somebody
talk back to me to-night. I wonder how it would feel to go to Buffanti's
with people you liked, to talk, and eat good food and listen to music."

Milly had no comments to make on the subject, except to claw her plate.
Jane put a morsel of food there, which disappeared.

"I'll pretend I went with them, and put it into the story to-night. I
know how they talk, Milly, and how they think, and how they act, but I
want them to know how I think and talk and act. I'm sick of being alone,
I want somebody----"

She broke off and hid her face in her hands. Milly scratched her plate
significantly. It is the routine of life which helps us through the
tragedy, always. At Milly's practical reminder, Jane replenished her
plate with the scrapings from her own, rose, carried her dishes to the
sink, washed them, and put them away.

Then she locked her door, got out her pen and her blank book, lit the
student lamp, and sat down at her table. Milly sprang into her favourite
chair and the pleasure time of the day came to both of them. The purr
and the scratch of the pen lasted far into the night.

CHAPTER III

True to her word, Mrs. Abercrombie Brendon presented Jerry and his idea
to her committee, and they appointed him Minister Extraordinary to the
whole affair. He was to design the setting for the pageant and such
costumes as he had time to do. He was to arrange and direct the
tableaux.

There was a slight hitch in affairs, when Jerry presented his terms, but
he was prepared for that. Mrs. Brendon sounded him on a reduction, but
he stood firm, assuring her that he must be free to put all his heart
and brain at their service. This was quite impossible unless he gave up
all other work for the time being. If that was not entirely satisfactory
to them, he would gladly withdraw. The interruption to his work was of
considerable moment. Mrs. Brendon carried this answer back to the
committee and they confirmed the amount, complaining bitterly.

Jerry was prepared for this incident. He also knew that in the end
they would pay just what he asked--would pay anything to get what
they wanted; and the particular thing they wanted now