ner," he smiled, and took her gloved hand in a firm clasp for
a minute. Her sigh of relief made him smile again, and then they both
laughed. "I told him to go to my apartment. We'll make some tea and I'll
pack a bag. I'd better join you at the hotel."

"Your apartment is too----"

"You couldn't be comfortable there with your maid."

They disembarked at his quarters, and Bob made a tour of inspection.

She hoped for an intimate glance into the man's personality, but the
rooms were as impersonal as he was. Just books and pipes and man-litter.

She made the tea while he packed his things.

"Aren't you sorry to leave this?" she asked him.

"Well, you can't have your cake and eat it. Every experiment has some
disadvantages," he laughed.

"When my season closes I'll keep house for you. I'm good at it."

"Thank the Lord for that!"

"No, I won't drag you over the 'well-known continent of Europe' for
three months," she laughed, and he nodded gratefully. "I have a little
place up in the hills where I go in the summer."

"So have I."

"Well, how will we manage it?"

"Fifty-fifty," said he. "Half at yours and half at mine."

They drank their tea and put away the things. When they were ready to
go, Bob said, "I like this man-place."

"We'll come here when you're tired of your girly-girly garden."

They went to the hotel and announced their marriage to the manager and
the clerk. Trent looked at a suite adjoining Barbara's.

"It's all right. I'll send my things up to-morrow. Now you go and rest.
What am I to call you?"

"Everybody calls me Bob."

"Then I'll say Barbara. Do you want to dine upstairs or in the
restaurant?"

"Restaurant," quickly.

His swift glance brought explanation.

"You embarrass me a little--yet. I have to get used to you, and the
restaurant seems less--intimate."

He nodded, smiling.

"When do you go to the theatre?"

"Seven o'clock. Are you coming?"

"Certainly."

"Dinner at six-fifteen. You'll hate that, won't you?"

"There may be compensations," dryly. He held the door open for her,
between the two suites. "Oh, bother that boy, he carried off the key to
this door," he added.

"We don't need it," she said.

"Thank you," he bowed.

Dinner was hurried and unsatisfactory. For the most part they were
silent. Bob needed her reserves for the night's work, and deliberately
set herself against the impulse to entertain him. He talked to her, as
they drove to the theatre, so quiet