n
and were flying behind Valentine along sun-gilded country lanes, he
changed his mind, changed the road slightly, and had them landed under
the wing of Mrs. Farraday for dinner. He did this with direct intention.
He judged himself, and decided that it would be safest to announce to
Miss Adair that her play was to have the honor of opening the great New
Carnival Theatre on Broadway somewhere within two hundred yards of Mrs.
Farraday. This program he carried out with efficient directness and then
found a strange lacking in himself.

"Oh, how wonderful you are!" was Miss Adair's exclamation when he had
imparted his news just as a young moon was silvering the poplar under
which they sat on an old stone bench at the bottom of the sunken garden.
"Everybody has said that you couldn't do it, but I didn't worry at all
like the rest of them. I knew that you could."

"How did you know that I could do it?" he asked, and he rejoiced with
pride that his author did not yet know of either the existence or his
sacrifice of "The Rosie Posie Girl."

"Why, I don't know--I knew just because I--I--" For the first time Mr.
Vandeford was absolutely certain of the flutter towards him, and at the
same time felt certain that he was the first man who ever had been
certain of it; and just as his breast and arms were hollowing themselves
to nest it he--denied it and himself. He didn't want it at a purchase
price, and he took Miss Adair home and locked her in the Y. W. C. A.
before midnight.

The journey down to Atlantic City on Sunday morning was accomplished
with much joy and hilarity. The entire cast of "The Purple Slipper"
acted like boys and girls let out of school, and mischievous children at
that. Miss Adair enjoyed it all immensely, and at times she very timidly
joined in the fun, which was centering itself upon putting Mr. Leigh of
the uncertain feet, and Miss Grayson, the glowerer, into white ribbon
bonds, which bonds were supplied from a large box of bonbons, the
identity of the donor of which she refused to reveal, though Mr. Kent
declared he had brought her to the station in a gold limousine with
diamond wheels, and bore the name of Billy Astorbilt.

Only Miss Hawtry held aloof, as she and her maid and various pieces of
ultra luggage occupied the four seats at the end of the car. The seat
next her was kept vacant, and at various times during the several hours'
run Mr. Vandeford, Mr. Height, and Miss Adair occupied it with
respectf