"Yes."

"Do you know that you are turning a delicate and beautiful romance
into a lascivious libel on the human race?"

"It is being done," replied Parker, in a low voice. "And I--I can't
help myself!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that when I start to draw Madelon my hand produces that woman
of Babylon! The writing is just as bad. It's full of sneering hints,
double meanings ... I shall destroy the stuff. I've been to see a
psycho-analyst."

"Ah!" thoughtfully. "Perhaps you're tired, Allen. Why not take Betty
for a sea trip? There'll still be time for fall publication."

"I'm going to try everything possible. I'd rather be dead than do work
like this!"

* * * * *

When Parker left his friend he was somewhat encouraged. After the
first shock Cartwright had been inclined to make light of the
difficulty, and by the time Allen Parker reached Pine Hills his stride
had the usual swing and snap.

He ran up the steps of his house and burst into the living room with a
smile. Betty was sitting by one of the windows, her hands lying
relaxed in her lap. She turned a somber face toward her husband, and
spoke before he had time to say a word of greeting.

"You knew that Cordelia Lyman died a short time ago, didn't you?"

"What's that?" exclaimed Parker, bewildered. "Lyman? Oh, the old lady
down the street who left her money to found a home for aged spinsters?
What about it?"

"But she didn't leave her money to found a home for aged spinsters,
Allen. She had said she was going to, and everybody thought so. Her
will was admitted to probate, or whatever they call it, yesterday. She
left half a million, all she had, to Dr. Friedrich von Stein, to be
used as he thinks best for the advancement of science!"

"Good heavens!" Parker stared. "Why, I didn't know she knew him. He'd
only been here a week or so when she died."

"There isn't a flaw in the will, they say. You can imagine that Pine
Hills is talking!"

"Well," said Parker philosophically, "he's lucky. I hope he does
something with it."

"He will," replied Betty, with conviction. "He'll do a great many
things!"

* * * * *

Parker told her of his interview with Cartwright, but she seemed
little interested. He did not try to work that day but, after he had
put the offending drawings and manuscript out of sight, he wandered,
read, smoked, and in the evening persuaded Betty to take a moonlight