me into view, a sock pulled over one hand.

"Did you speak?"

"Oh, Jane Judd, I forgot you were there."

"I went into the other room when Miss Roberts came."

He looked at her quickly.

"Quite unnecessary. Is there anything in that ice-box I could eat? I
can't stop for lunch to-day."

She inspected his larder.

"I'll go get something," she said.

"Oh, don't bother. I'll do without."

Presently she started off, in hat and coat.

"Get enough for both of us, Miss Judd; I'll blow you to lunch."

She made no answer, closing the door softly not to disturb him. Later,
she laid the table, served a chop, creamed potatoes, a salad, and
Turkish coffee. When she called him, he came, drawing-board in hand. She
served him.

"Where is your place?" he inquired.

"I brought some lunch."

"You sit down there, and eat half _this_ lunch. It's a grand tiffin.
Where did you learn to cook, Jane Judd?"

She sat down opposite him, trembling in every inch of her body, but her
face wore its usual calm.

"Women don't learn to cook; they just absorb it. I've always done it."

She went to the little stove to serve herself to lunch and when she came
back he was studying his sketch while he ate. He scarcely noticed her.
When she refilled his coffee cup he became aware of her again.

"Heard about this big show I'm getting up?"

"Yes."

"Interesting thing. How did you hear about it?"

"Everybody talks about it. I was at the Chatfields' yesterday. They were
discussing it."

"Were they? What did they say?"

"I didn't listen."

"You mean you're not a sieve."

She smiled.

"By the Gods, I did not know you ever used a smile! What kind of person
are you, anyway?"

She rose at that, as if to end the interview. He went back to his work.

"Oh, I say, Jane Judd, I didn't mean to offend you, just when you had
smiled at me for the first time in five years' acquaintance," he called
out to her.

"All right," she replied briefly.

Jerry made a grimace and forgot her.

As work began to pile up; as this committee and that committee had to
consult with him; as the costumers had to be argued with, stuffs
selected; in fact, as the whole big machine began to revolve on Jerry as
axis, he frequently sent out a hurry call for Jane Judd to get him some
lunch or some dinner. He went on with his work while he ate, and never
again did he try to pierce the subterranean depths of Jane's
personality.

The last two weeks of preparation were