"Mr. Alden!" she cried, taking a step after him.

He turned on the threshold to say in an easy, conversational tone:

"Do you know, I am so dense that not till this moment have I perceived the significance of your kind present to me. The pun was as neat, Miss Fanning, as the gift was refined." Before she could ask the meaning of his enigmatical farewell-of what sounded to her like a new accusation-he was gone.

She had forgiven him what his friend had pronounced a mere hurt to her vanity. But she knew that he could not forgive her for the cruel wound she had dealt to his love and his faith. And she was so young, and life was so long! She was wondering whether she could drag herself up-stairs, out of sight, when she remembered her guests. That the drawingroom was empty was the only welcome discovery that the hour had brought.

CHAPTER XVII

MISS HAMMOND FINDS HERSELF

HAT member of the Hammond family

TH

who knew least of its concerns was approaching his house after midnight, when the door opened to let out a hooded female figure. Quickening his pace to see which of the maids was this night-prowler, Hammond found himself face to face with his own daughter.

For the moment he was too startled for speech. But Honor was no more surprised or abashed than if it had been one o'clock in the afternoon instead of one in the morning. "I am going to post a letter."

Her

She was brushing past him, forgetting him almost before she finished the sentence. whole soul was at the letter-box on the corner. Her father perceived that if she had met a hippogriff, she would have walked straight by in perfect unconcern.

He felt as if she were a sleep-walker whom he must not startle.

"Run back indoors, dear. I'll post the letter."

She made a gesture of impatience, as if she hardly heard what he said, merely resented the obstacle in her path.

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No, I must post it myself."

Come, then," he said, turning in the direction she faced.

She made neither assent nor objection, and they walked nearly to Sixth Avenue in silence. Then she stopped and looked at him, as if for the first time realizing who he was and what he was doing.

Father, you don't ask any questions."

"I assume that it is n't your habit to sally out alone in the middle of the night. If If you do it now, it must seem to you necessary, so I won't scold you for imprudence."

She showed her letter.

"I am breaking my engagement." "What has Smith done?"

"He has given mother and me everything we want. But I can't marry him, dear." By the electric light on the street corner he studied her face.

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'Honor, you are taking a momentous step." "Yes, father."

"I want you to come back to the house with

me and talk it over. After our discussion, if you are still resolved on breaking with Smith, you shall post the letter yourself."

"Dad, I did n't mean to be rude when I would n't let you do it. Of course I did n't suspect you of a wish to suppress it. Only, I could n't feel that the deed was done unless I heard the letter thud down in the box."

"Will you take an hour to think about it, Honor?"

"Yes, dad. I'll listen to anything you have to say."

"Thank

you, dear."

As they retraced their steps, she slipped her arm through his, her hand into his.

"Daddy, I love you."

"Do you, sweetheart?"

"Yes. You must think I am insane, but you treat me just as if I were sane and my judgment were to be respected. You don't know how I want to post that letter. A regiment of soldiers would n't have stopped me, but when you are so quiet and kind I have to stop-for you."

Honor opened the door with a latch-key, and laid her fingers on her father's lips as she led him along the dark hall and into the morning-room. He struck a match from the box

in his pocket, while she quickly shut the door after them. She broke into a laugh, more girlish than her usual note.

"Don't you feel as if you were Guy Fawkes? But we must n't wake mother."

She laid her letter upon the table, and he noticed that she had added a special-delivery stamp to insure Willoughby's receiving it early.

"You can send it just as well by messenger in the morning."

"I know. But I wanted to start it tonight."

"Lest your courage might give way, Honor?"

She smiled.

'No, I really was n't afraid of that. But having decided to send it, I could not sleep till the actual deed was done. Perhaps you don't see any difference between dropping the letter in the box and leaving it on my desk to be sent in the morning? That is because you are not a woman."

"Why are you breaking with Smith, if I may ask? A week ago you seemed delighted to marry him."

"I was.

Of course I was n't in love with him. I knew that he was conceited and tire