move to the Shoreham. Lil and Harry are going
there in January. You know yourself this place isn't half respectable."

Raymond had stared. "Shoreham! Why, it's a hotel. Regular hotel."

"Yes," placidly. "That's what's so nice about it. No messing around in a
miserable little kitchenette. You can have your meals sent up. Or you
can go down to the dining room. Lil says it's wonderful. And if you
order for one up in your room the portions are big enough for two. It's
really economy, in the end."

"Nix," said Ray. "No hotel in mine. A little house of our own. That's
the right idea. Build."

"But nobody's building now. Materials are so high. It'll cost you ten
times as much as it would if you waited a few--a little while. And no
help. No maids coming over, hardly. I think you might consider me a
little. We could live at the Shoreham a while, anyway. By that time
things will be better, and we'd have money saved up and then we might
talk of building. Goodness knows I love my home as well as any
woman----"

They looked at the Shoreham rooms on the afternoon of their anniversary.
They were having the Crowd to dinner, downtown, that evening. Cora
thought the Shoreham rooms beautiful, though she took care not to let
the room-clerk know she thought so. Ray, always a silent, inarticulate
man, was so wordless that Cora took him to task for it in a sibilant
aside.

"Ray, for heaven's, sake say something. You stand there! I don't know
what the man'll think."

"A hell of a lot I care what he thinks." Ray was looking about the
garish room--plush chairs, heavy carpets, brocade hangings, shining
table-top, silly desk.

"Two hundred and seventy-five a month," the clerk was saying. "With the
yearly lease, of course. Otherwise it's three twenty-five." He seemed
quite indifferent.

Ray said nothing. "We'll let you know," said Cora.

The man walked to the door. "I can't hold it for you, you know. Our
apartments are practically gone. I've a party who practically has closed
for this suite already. I'd have to know."

Cora looked at Ray. He said nothing. He seemed not to have heard. His
face was gaunt and haggard. "We'll let you know--to-morrow," Cora said.
Her full under lip made a straight thin line.

When they came out it was snowing. A sudden flurry. It was already dark.
"Oh, dear," said Cora. "My hat!" Ray summoned one of the hotel taxis. He
helped Cora into it. He put money into the driver's hand.

"You go on, Cora. I'm goi