Immediately she knew that the movement was a pretext. She could not free
herself.

"Be good, now," he cautioned her. "I've got you. I want to see that
watch."

"You let me alone."

"I'm going to see that watch."

With his free hand he felt under her sleeve and drew down the bracelet.

"So the mill gave it to you, eh? That's a lie, and you know it."

"I'll tell you, Rudolph," she temporized. "Only don't tell father. All
the girls have watches, and I wanted one. So I bought it."

"That's a lie, too."

"On the installment plan," she insisted. "A dollar a week, that's
straight. I've paid five on it already."

He was almost convinced, not quite. He unfastened it awkwardly and took
it off her wrist. It was a plain little octagonal watch, and on the back
was a monogram. The monogram made him suspicious again.

"It's only gold filled, Rudolph."

"Pretty classy monogram for a cheap watch." He held it close; on the
dial was the jeweler's name, a famous one. He said nothing more, put
it back on Anna's arm and released her. At the next corner he left her,
with a civil enough good-bye, but with rage in his heart.

CHAPTER XVII

The New-year, destined to be so crucial, came in cheerfully enough.
There was, to be sure, a trifle less ostentation in the public
celebrations, but the usual amount of champagne brought in the most
vital year in the history of the nation. The customary number of men,
warmed by that champagne, made reckless love to the women who happened
to be near them and forgot it by morning. And the women themselves
presented pictures of splendor of a peculiar gorgeousness.

The fact that almost coincident with the war there had come into
prominence an entirely new school of color formed one of the curious
contrasts of the period. Into a drab world there flamed strange and
bizarre theatrical effects, in scenery and costume. Some of it was
beautiful, most of it merely fantastic. But it was immediately reflected
in the clothing of fashionable women. Europe, which had originated it,
could use it but little; but great opulent America adopted it and made
it her own.

So, while the rest of the world was gray, America flamed, and Natalie
Spencer, spending her days between dressmakers and decorators, flamed
with the rest.

On New-year's Eve Clayton Spencer always preceded the annual ball of
the City Club, of which he was president, by a dinner to the board
of governors and their wives. It was his dinn