illed with specimens of quartz, and four cloth-covered
cushion rockers. With rattlesnake fairness the one Hiram chose
squeaked a warning before it tried to land him on the back of his neck.

Hiram sat there round-eyed and dreaming, while outside the hired car
purred on, indifferent to the flight of time.

Twenty minutes later Hiram's dream was broken by the clatter of Lucy's
high heels on the stairs. Lucy entered, dressed in silk and furs and
wearing a large picture hat. The savings of many months were on Lucy's
back, and Hiram felt further removed from her than ever.

"Where'll we go?" he asked miserably as he clumsily helped her into the
car.

"Golden Gate Park, Mr. Hooker," she said.

The driver, having heard, touched his cap, and they rolled away.

"How'd you know my name?" The burden of keeping this question had been
overriding Hiram's bashfulness since she had spoken it.

Lucy laughed. "You didn't think I'd go so far as to invite you home
with me if I didn't know you, did you? At least kinda know you?"

"I hadn't thought about that at all, ma'am. But when you said 'Mr.
Hooker' it gave me a jolt."

"I'll bet it did. Well, didn't you stand in front of the jewelry shop
for over a quarter of an hour before the fire this morning?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you didn't see your friend come out of the restaurant while you
were there?"

"Who, Tweet? No, ma'am--I didn't."

"Well, he did. He'd been in talking with me. I didn't know his name,
though. Is that it? Tweet? Heavens above! Say, he's a funny guy.
Well, he'd been in talking about you. He said you were out in front of
the jeweler's shop and wondered if he could get out without you seeing
him."

Hiram only stared and waited.

"He told me your name was Hiram Hooker, and that you had just come from
Mendocino County. That's how I knew."

For quite a time she was silent. Then she said:

"He appears to be sort of butting in, it seems to me."

Hiram waited again.

"He came in and says: 'Say, Lucy, your lifeline and mine are getting
tangled. You're crossing my path and frustrating my plans.' You know
how he talks!

"'How d'ye get that way?' I says. 'Spring it.'

"'Why, your many charms are leading my business partner from the path
of duty,' he says.

"'Go on,' I told him, 'and talk sense, if you've got anything to say.'

"Then he told me that you two were partners, and were going down to
southern California together to 'get a toeh