hed madly back to the telephone and ordered the
man to detain the departing guest. Back to the den where he had seen
Eleanor standing with Jack, was his next act, and dragging both out of
the apartment and along the hall to the elevator, he pushed the button
furiously.

While the wondering attendant was coming up, Mr. Dalken said: "What in
the name of conscience did you two crazy creatures do or say to Paul
Stewart, to drive him frantic?"

Jack stared in ignorance of what his guardian meant, but Eleanor gazed as
if she thought Mr. Dalken had suddenly gone mad. The elevator stopped at
their floor, and the man opened the gate. Mr. Dalken pulled his two
companions on, and the man started down again.

All this time, Eleanor was speechless with doubt of Mr. Dalken's sanity
but the elevator man turned to him and said: "The young man I just took
down, refused to remain. He said he would arrest anyone who tried to
detain him against his will."

Mr. Dalken ran his hands through his hair and rolled his eyes upward.
Turning to Eleanor he hissed: "What _did_ you say to Paul to make him act
like a man in torment?"

"Paul! Are you crazy, Mr. Dalken?" asked Eleanor, fearfully.

"No, but _you_ must be to throw over such a sweetheart. You'll wait a
long time before you get another like him, even though I do like Jack
immensely, and will further his case when he meets the right girl. I'm
sure you are not the right one, and you ought to know it, from what you
told me yourself, yesterday. Can't you see that Jack thinks he loves
Polly, just because she won't have him?"

"Of course I understand!" retorted Eleanor, but annoyed that her plot to
bring Polly and Tom together again was exposed.

"Then why in the name of heavens did you send Paul away believing it was
_you_ that Jack wanted?"

Before an answer could be given, the elevator reached the ground floor
and the man quickly opened the doors. Out in the vestibule the
telephone-operator was button-holing a young man and using every
persuasion to detain him.

Jack Baxter had never seen Paul so he did not recognize him now. But
Eleanor did, and she stood stock-still in such surprise that Mr. Dalken
ran ahead without her.

"Paul, Paul! I knew you had made a mistake. Eleanor is here to explain
everything," said he, taking the place of the amazed servant.

"What can she explain that will change my opinion of her?" scorned Paul,
sending a cold look at poor Eleanor.

"Nolla, come