saw for the first time the weariness in her friend's eyes, the
pallor of her cheeks, the tremulous droop of her lower lip.
Seizing Lorelei by the shoulders, she held her off as the target
for a searching gaze.

"Tell me, did they MAKE you marry him?" she inquired, fiercely. It
was plain to whom she referred.

"No."

"Whew! I'm glad to hear that. You love him, don't you?"

The answer came readily enough, and the blue eyes did not flinch,
but the smile was a trifle fixed and the cheeks remained
colorless.

"Why, of course. He's very nice."

"Lorelei!" Miss Demorest's fingers tightened; her voice was
tragic, but she had no chance to say more, for Bob called just
then from the living-room:

"Hurry back, girls. There's something burning, and I can't find
the emergency brake."

When Adoree finally came forth in one of Lorelei's aprons--really
a fetching garment, more like a house dress than an apron--Bob
told her whom they were expecting as the other guest.

She paused with a bread-knife upraised.