a wonder."

"In your present frame of mind and state of being," laughed Fanny,
"you'd consider any one a wonder. You're so pleased with yourself you're
fairly gummy."

Fenger laughed softly and sped the car on. They turned in at the gate.
There was scarlet salvia, now, to take the place of the red geraniums.
The gay awnings, too, were gone.

"This is our last week," Fenger explained. "It's too cold out here for
Katherine. We're moving into town to-morrow. We're more or less camping
out here, with only the Jap to take care of us."

"Don't apologize, please. I'm grateful just to be here, after the week
I've had. Let's have the news now."

"We'll have lunch first. I'm afraid you'll have to excuse Katherine. She
probably won't be down for lunch." The Jap had spread the luncheon table
on the veranda, but a brisk lake breeze had sprung up, and he was busy
now transferring his table from the porch to the dining room. "Would you
have believed it," said Fenger, "when you left town? Good old lake. Mrs.
Fenger coming down?" to the man.

The Jap shook his head. "Nossa."

Their talk at luncheon was all about Theodore and his future. Fenger
said that what Theodore needed was a firm and guiding hand. "A sort of
combination manager and slave-driver. An ambitious and intelligent wife
would do it. That's what we all need. A woman to work for, and to make
us work."

Fanny smiled. "Mizzi will have to be woman enough, I'm afraid. Poor
Ted."

They rose. "Now for the talk," said Fenger. But the telephone had
sounded shrilly a moment before, and the omnipresent little Jap summoned
Fenger. He was back in a minute, frowning. "It's Haynes. I'm sorry. I'm
afraid it'll take a half hour of telephoning. Don't you want to take a
cat-nap? Or a stroll down to the lake?"

"Don't bother about me. I'll probably take a run outdoors."

"Be back in half an hour."

But when she returned he was still at the telephone. She got a book and
stretched luxuriously among the cushions of one of the great lounging
chairs, and fell asleep. When she awoke Fenger was seated opposite her.
He was not reading. He was not smoking. He evidently had been sitting
there, looking at her.

"Oh, gracious! Mouth open?"

"No."

Fanny fought down an impulse to look as cross as she felt. "What time?
Why didn't you wake me?" The house was very quiet. She patted her hair
deftly, straightened her collar. "Where's everybody? Isn't Mrs. Fenger
down yet?"

"No. Don't yo