st's appointments and mother's
come to town."

Delighted at Bojo's adherence that saved him from the prospects of a
difficult tete-a-tete, he began to recover his spirits; but Bojo,
assuming a severe countenance, awaited his opportunity.

"I say, don't look at me with that pulpit expression," said DeLancy an
hour later as they streaked through the Park on their way to upper
Riverside. "What have I done?"

"Fred, you're getting in deep!"

"Don't I know it?" said that impressionable young man, jerking the car
ahead. "Well, get me out."

"I'm not sure you want to get out," said Bojo.

DeLancy confessed; in fact, confession was a pleasant and
well-established habit with him.

"Bojo, it's no use. When I'm away from her, I can call myself a fool in
six languages. I _am_ a fool. I know I have no business hanging round;
but, say, the moment she turns up I'm ready to lie down and roll over."

"It's puppy love."

"I admit it."

"She's just going to keep you dangling, Fred. You know as well as I do
you haven't a chance even if you were idiotic enough to think of
marrying her. She's not losing her head, you can bet on that. That's why
the mother is on deck."

"Oh, there are half a dozen Yaps with a wad she could have, and any time
she wants to whistle," said Fred pugnaciously.

Bojo decided to change his tactics.

"I thought you were cleverer. Thought you'd planned out your whole
career; remember the night up on the Astor roof--you weren't going to
make any mistakes, oh no! You were going to marry a million. You weren't
going to get caught!"

"Shut up, Bojo. Can't you see how rotten I'm in it? I'm doing my best to
break away."

"Get up a row then and stay away."

"I've tried, but she's too clever for that. Honest, Tom, I think she's
fond of me."

Bojo groaned.

"She thinks you're a millionaire with your confounded style, and your
confounded car--that's all!"

"Well, maybe I will be," said DeLancy with a sudden revulsion to
cheerfulness, "if Pittsburgh & New Orleans keeps a-sliding."

"Suppose we get caught."

"I say, there's no danger of that?" said Fred, alarmed. "I'm in deep."

"No, not much, but there's always the chance of a slip," said Bojo, who
began to wonder if a successful issue would not further complicate
Fred's sentimental entanglements.

At this moment they came to a stop, and Fred said in a comforting tone:

"Louise'll be furious because I brought you."

"You old humbug," said Bojo,