he offered a half-sheepish explanation.

"I'd tell them where I go," he said, "but you'd think a pool room
was on the direct road to hell. Take to-night, now. I can't tell
them about it, but it was all right. I met Wallie Sayre and Leslie
at the club before dinner, and we got a fourth and played bridge.
Only half a cent a point. I swear we were going on playing, but
somebody brought in a chap named Gregory for a cocktail. He turned
out to be a brother of Beverly Carlysle, the actress, and he took
us around to the theater and gave us a box. Not a thing wrong with
it, was there?"

"Where did you go from there?" she persisted inexorably. "It's
half past one."

"Went around and met her. She's wonderful, Elizabeth. But do you
know what would happen if I told them? They'd have a fit."

She felt rather helpless, because she knew he was right from his
own standpoint.

"I know. I'm surprised at Les, Jim."

"Oh, Les! He just trailed along. He's all right."

She kissed him and he went out, leaving her to lie awake for a long
time. She would have had all her world happy those days, and all
her world good. She didn't want anybody's bread and butter spilled
on the carpet.