the lady through and through--and has a good mind. . . . At least, I
think she has. I'll admit a man in love is a poor judge of a woman's
mind. But, anyhow, I _know_ she's lovely to look at. You'll see it
yourself, now that I've called your attention to it. You can't fail to
see it."

Norman threw himself back in his chair and clasped his hands behind his
head. "_Why_ do you want to marry her?" he inquired, in a tone his
sensitive ear approved as judicial.

"How can I tell?" replied the head clerk irritably. "Does a man ever
know?"

"Always--when he's sensibly in love."

"But when he's just in love? That's what ails me," retorted Tetlow, with
a sheepish look and laugh.

"Billy, you've got to get over this. I can't let you make a fool of
yourself."

Tetlow's fat, smooth, pasty face of the overfed, underexercised
professional man became a curious exhibit of alarm and obstinacy.

"You've got to promise me you'll keep away from her--except at the
office--for say, a week. Then--we'll see."

Tetlow debated.

"It's highly improbable that anyone else will discover these