es--standing with her back to him at the rail. He had
not heard or seen her come. Almost without volition he arose and stepped
to the rail. He leaned on it beside her. She did not move away.

"I want to kiss you," said Lewis, and trembled as he heard his own
words.

The woman did not start. She turned her face slowly toward his.

"And I want you to," she said.

CHAPTER XXXII

Within two weeks of Lewis's departure for South America, Leighton
returned from his shooting-trip. Despite the fact that he had not
written telling Lewis he was coming, he felt a great chagrin at finding
the flat deserted except for the ever-faithful Nelton.

"Where's the boy?" was Leighton's first question. Even as he stepped
across the threshold he felt that he stepped into an empty house.

"South America," said Nelton, relieving his master of hat, stick, and
gloves.

"South America!" cried Leighton, dismayed, and then smiled. "Well, he's
getting his dad's tricks early. What for?"

"Don't know, sir. Mr. Lewis said as you'd get it from her ladyship."

Lady Derl was out of town. Leighton followed her, stayed two days,
decided her momentary entourage was not to his taste, and returned to
London. He reached the flat in the afternoon, just in time to receive a
caller. The caller was Vi.

"Hallo!" said Leighton as Nelton showed her in, "this is fortune. Take
off your things and stay."

"I will--some of them," drawled Vi; "but not just yet." She sat down.

"What on earth are you doing in town?" asked Leighton.

"Well," said Vi, "up to three weeks ago I was here at the beck and call
of your son. Then he suddenly took French leave." She turned and faced
Leighton. "Where has he gone? It isn't like one of you to be rude in
little things."

"I don't think Lew meant to be rude," said Leighton. "He's gone to South
America. He heard about some cousins he 'd lost track of, and he just
bolted the next morning."

"Cousins!" said Vi. "I didn't know any one still went in for family ties
to the extent of South America, short of a fat death."

"No," said Leighton, smiling; there's no money in this trip. Why were
you at his beck and call?"

"Model," said Vi, coolly. "He's been doing me."

"Doing _you_!" said Leighton, looking at her curiously.

"There, there," said Vi, "don't let your imagination run away with you.
Not in the nude. By the way, can you let me have the key? I left
something in the studio, and I didn't like to go to Nelton