bit ashamed to have brought out the family skeleton and aired it
to-night," she said evenly. Under drooping lids she looked from one face
before her to the other swiftly. "I don't know why I did it exactly. I'm
a bit irresponsible, I guess, to-night. We are all so, I think, at
times." As deliberately as she did everything she took a seat. Her hands
folded in her lap. "If you'll forget it I'll promise not to offend in the
same way again." She smiled and changed the subject abruptly. "I see by
the papers," she digressed, "that at last we're to have a trolley line in
town. The same authority informs us as well that you are the moving
spirit, Mr. Roberts."

"Yes." It was the ordinary laconic, non-committal man of business who
answered. A pause, then a significant amplification. "This is the age of
the trolley. There are a hundred miles of suburban lines contracted for
as well. No one will recognize this country as it is now ten years
hence."

"And this suburban line you speak of--I suppose you're the spirit back of
that too?" queried the girl.

"Yes." This time there was no amplification.

"So that was what you had in mind the other night when we were
talking,--what you wouldn't tell me," commented Armstrong, a shade
frostily.

"One thing, yes." Roberts ignored the tone absolutely. "I was not at
liberty to make the announcement at that time. The deal was just closed
last night."

Armstrong made no further comment, but his high spirits of the early
evening had vanished not to return, and shortly thereafter Roberts arose
to go. Promptly, seemingly intentionally so, Armstrong followed. In the
vestibule, his hat in his hand, by design or chance he caught the
visitor's eye.

"Pardon me a moment," he apologized, "I--forgot something."

Perforce Roberts waited while the other man returned to the tiny library
they had just vacated. The girl was standing within precisely as when
they had left and, as Armstrong did not close the door, the visitor knew
to a certainty that his presence as listener and spectator was
intentional. It was all a premeditated scene, the climax of the evening.

"By the way, Elice," said the actor, evenly, "I've been considering that
Graham offer carefully since I spoke to you about it the other night."
He did not look at her but stood twirling his hat judicially in his hand.
"I tried to convince myself that it was for the best to accept; but I
failed. I told him so to-day."

There was a pause.