om the
start! I felt it was bad enough, her English clumsiness in getting the
introductions twisted as I advanced to meet the car, but now I was of
half a mind that she had done it purposely. Could see with half an eye
that she was determined to make trouble about yesterday.

"Haven't we met before, Mr. Lightnut?" she had asked.

But it struck me that Frances glanced at me with a kind of wistful
light in her lovely eyes, and I saw that the game was to lie like a
gentleman--that sort of thing, you know. And, by Jove, I was getting
kind of used to it now, anyhow--I mean since I had broken the ice last
night. Not hard at all, though, after a few goes--really!

So I stood out that I had never had the pleasure, you know--all that
sort of polite rot. And all the time felt like a jolly cad, too, meeting
a girl with that, when _she_ remembered! But, by Jove, it was worth
sacrificing the frump fifty times over just to see Frances' face
brighten and note her faint flush and smile as she looked at me. For,
dash it, I knew then I had done the right thing!

"Um!" grunted the frump, compressing her lips and looking at my darling.
"There's one good thing: the experience with Mr. Smith will teach
Francis a lesson!"

The cat! Nice sort of host!

But the dear girl just laughed--how I remembered that laugh!

"Poor Francis!" she said lightly. "Do you know," she added, "I believe I
can forgive a Harvard man almost anything, Mr. Lightnut."

By Jove! The angel! And before I knew what I was doing or thought about
the frump, I had stretched out a hand to her, looking her straight in
the eye and smiling. She hesitated an instant only, then laughed, and I
felt her little fingers just brush my palm--but it was enough.

She flushed a little shyly and addressed the frump.

"Are we going to keep Mr. Lightnut standing like this all day?" she
asked.

"Half on earth and half in heaven--like what's-his-name's coffin," I
suggested. Devilish good, that, don't you think? _She_ thought so, for
she opened the door herself as the frump turned, murmuring some silly
thing about China and the open door to America. What did China have to
do with it?

And it was just then that Jenkins bolted wildly from the building.

"Mr. Lightnut--quick, sir! Mr. Billings, sir!"

I thought of the telephone right off, but he just caught my arm. First
time ever knew Jenkins to take a liberty.

"Come quick, sir!" he exclaimed. "He's up-stairs and, oh, off his nut,