gs
and door jamb; and in draping certain corner recesses which were to
achieve dignity as clothes closets. They were scrubbing the floor when
Percival passed on his way to the "office."

His "office," by the way, was a rude "lean-to" at the extreme outer end
of the street. It was characteristic of him to establish headquarters
at a point farthest removed from the approach to the camp from the ship.
Fitts was perhaps the only person who sensed the real motive back of
this selection. Every one else attributed it to an amiable conclusion on
Percival's part to sacrifice himself for others by walking almost twice
as far as any of them. As a matter of fact, he had nothing of the sort
in mind. He deliberately arranged it so that all operations should be
carried on between headquarters and "home." It was his plan to drive
inward instead of outward, to push always in one direction. In other
words, thought Fitts quite correctly, he "never had to look behind him
for trouble."

To save his life, Percival could not subdue the eager, devouring gleam
that flashed into his eyes as he looked into hers. He could have cursed
himself. A swift warm flush raced from her throat to her cheeks.
Her direct, steady gaze faltered under fire, and a confused, trapped
expression flickered perceptibly for a moment or two. He mistook it for
dismay, or, on second thought, even worse,--displeasure.

"I--I can't help it," he stammered, surprised into voicing the thought
that was uppermost. "You know how I feel. I--I--"

But she had recovered her self-possession. "Do you really think you have
the right to name Mrs. Cruise's baby?" she inquired coolly.

He managed a wry, deprecatory smile. "Everybody seems to like the name,
Miss Clinton. The more I think of it myself, the better it sounds. I
tried it out last night in all sorts of combinations. It fits nicely
into almost any family tree--even Nicklestick's. Just say it to
yourself. Doraine Nicklestick. Try any name you like. Doraine Smith,
Doraine Humperdinck, Doraine Landover--even Doraine Shay--and, I tried
it out with Clinton. Doraine Clinton. Don't you like it? I even
tried Percival. It isn't quite so satisfying tacked onto a name like
mine,--and it's a poor beginning for Fitts,--but with good, sensible
surnames, it's fine."

"It isn't a question of how it sounds, Mr. Percival."

"Don't you like Doraine Clinton?"

"I like almost anything better than Ruth. I suppose most people loathe
the names