e to escape this wretched denouement."

When Ozark Briskow answered Gray's request for admittance, he was
deeply embarrassed to find Miss Montague also waiting; his stammered
protest was interrupted by her sharp inquiry:

"What is the meaning of all this mystery? He said you were too sick to
see me."

"Permit me to explain," Gray began, as he closed the door behind them.
"Buddy and I came to blows over you; you were, in a manner of speaking,
an apple of discord between us, and the melancholy results you behold.
Jealousy of your charms was not my motive; I merely asked Buddy to
defer a contemplated action. He refused; I insisted. Argument failed to
budge either of us and--"

The young woman's sympathetic regard of Gray's victim changed to a
glare of hostility as she turned upon the speaker, crying: "You
_brute!_ You ought to be arrested!"

"He ast me to wait, Arline--"

"To delay asking you a question which I felt should be more seriously
considered. In the absence of his family I took it upon myself to--"

"To butt in!" Miss Montague exclaimed, with curling lip.

"Quite so. I merit your disapproval, but not your disdain."

With some heat Buddy declared: "Pa an' Ma know that I got a mind of my
own. It won't do 'em any good to come."

"See here," the woman demanded. "What have you been telling Buddy about
me? I told him all there was to tell."

"Quite all? I fear you have not been as frank as you would have me
believe. That, in fact, explains my connection with the affair. Believe
me when I say that I am interested only in seeing justice done to both
of you young people, and in making sure that you do not deceive each
other. It is an impulse of artless youth to trick itself in glowing
colors, but you should know the whole truth about Buddy and he about
you. If, after you are thoroughly acquainted with each other, you still
maintain a mutual regard I shall have nothing further to say--except to
beg that I be allowed to show my true friendship for both of you."

"Well, spring the bad news," said Miss Montague. Briskow now displayed
the first open resentment he had shown since his defeat of the day
before. "You licked me, Mr. Gray, an' I took my medicine," he growled.
"You changed my looks, but you didn't change my mind. I'm waitin' for
the folks to come, but I ain't goin' to listen to 'em."

"Let him get this off his chest, Buddy. Go ahead with the scandal,
Saint Anthony."

Gray bowed. "Suppose we ignore th