make friends. I am almost as lonely as I was,
so far as regards ordinary companionship. Last night I felt the first
little glow of real friendliness--just the men down at the club."

"You've put all your eggs into one basket, that's what you've done," she
declared.

"That's true enough," he groaned.

"And like all men--selfish brutes!" she proceeded deliberately--"you
expect everything. Fancy expecting everything from a woman like Miss
Dalstan! Why, you aren't worthy of it, you know."

"Perhaps not," he admitted, "but you see, Miss Grimes, there is something
in life which seems to have passed you by up till now."

"Has it indeed!" she objected. "You think I've never had a young man, eh?
Perhaps you're right. Haven't found much time for that sort of rubbish.
Anyway, this is where I hop on a trolley car."

"Wait a moment," he begged. "Don't leave me yet. You've nothing to do,
have you?"

"Nothing particular," she confessed, "except go home and cook my dinner."

"Look here," he went on eagerly, "I feel like work. I've got the second
act of my new play in my mind. Come round with me and let me try
dictating it. I'll give you something to eat in my rooms. It's for the
theatre, mind. I never tried dictating. I believe I could do it to you."

"In your rooms," she repeated, a little doubtfully.

"They won't talk scandal about us, Miss Grimes," he assured her. "To tell
you the truth, I want to be near the telephone."

"In case she rings you up, eh?"

"That's so. I said something I ought not to have done. I ought to have
waited for her, but it was something that had been tearing at me ever
since last night, and I couldn't bear it."

"Some blunderers, you men," Miss Grimes sighed. "Well, I'm with you."

He led her almost apologetically to the lift of the handsome building in
which his new rooms were situated. They were very pleasant bachelor
rooms, with black oak walls and green hangings, prints upon the wall, a
serviceable writing-table, and a deep green carpet. She looked around her
and at the servant who had come forward at their entrance, with a little
sniff.

"Shall you be changing to-night, sir?" he asked.

"Not to-night," Philip answered quickly. "Tell the waiter to send up a
simple dinner for two--I can't bother to order. And two cocktails," he
added, as an afterthought.

Martha stared after the disappearing manservant disparagingly.

"Some style," she muttered. "A manservant, eh? Don't know as I ever