hout
any other. Once Dr. McKenzie got up and went out. When he came back
he brought a box of candy. Derry heard Jean's "Oh, you darling--" and
thrilled with a touch of jealousy.

He wondered a little that he should care--his experiences with women
had heretofore formed gay incidents in his life rather than serious
epochs. He had carried in his heart a vision, and the girl in the Toy
Shop had seemed to make that vision suddenly real.

The play which was thrown on the screen had to do with France; with
Joan of Arc and the lover who failed her, with the reincarnation of the
lover and his opportunity, after long years, to redeem himself from the
blot of cowardice.

In the stillness, Derry heard the quick-drawn breath of the girl in
front of him. "Daddy, I should hate a man like that."

"But, my dear--"

"I should hate him, Daddy."

The play was over.

The lights went up, and Jean stood revealed. She was pinning on her
hat. She saw Derry and smiled at him. "Daddy," she said, "it is Mr.
Drake--you know him."

Dr. McKenzie held out his hand. "How do you do? So you young people
have met, eh?"

"In Emily's shop, Daddy. He--he came to buy my Lovely Dreams."

The two men laughed. "As if any man could buy your dreams, Jeanie,"
her father said, "it would take the wealth of the world."

"Or no wealth at all," said Derry quickly.

They walked out together. As they passed the portal of the gilded
door, Derry felt that the moment of parting had come.

"Oh, look here, Doctor," he said, desperately, "won't you and your
daughter take pity on me--and join me at supper? There's dancing at
the Willard and all that--Miss McKenzie might enjoy it, and it would be
a life-saver for me."

Light leaped into Jean's eyes. "Oh, Daddy--"

"Would you like it, dear?"

"You know I should. So would you. And you haven't any stupid
patients, have you?"

"My patients are always stupid, Drake, when they take me away from her.
Otherwise she is sorry for them." He looked at his watch. "When I get
to the hotel I'll telephone to Hilda, and she'll know where to find us."

It was the Doctor who talked as they went along--the two young people
were quite ecstatically silent. Jean was between her father and Derry.
As he kept step with her, it seemed to him that no woman had ever
walked so lightly; she laughed a little now and then. There was no
need for words.

While her father telephoned, they sat together for a moment i