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Two years in the East had altered Billy very little indeed, to outward seeming. In the wide, carpeted pas- sage between stalls and exit he bore down u on Doris and her aunt; with all his 0 d exuberance. “Spotted you just at the end of the show," he explained, after the first i‘u-sh of greetings. “I was upstairs, and, of course, when I saw you I dash- ed down right away, before you could give me the slip. And how are things goingwith you, old girl?" Billy was not the man with whom she had quarrelled. Billy was merely an old and devoted chum. He and she had grown up together, and their friendship was of the quarrel-proof brand which neither absence nor proximity, letters nor the lack of them, can ever chill into indifference or warm into love. Billy had known all about the dead-and-gor.e episode, and Doris had listened with Sisterly affection and unfailing interest to most of Billy’s love affairs. Love, in the old days, had been wont to attack Billy much as hay fever does its vic- timsâ€"nothing serious, but bad whilb it lasts. Doris gave him a resume, which he punctuated with uestions, even as of yore. Then, by c ance, he mentioned 5. forbidden name, and her pretty face hardened, and she stopped him with an imperiogs gesture. To begin with, they quarrelled. Being thorough in all things, they quarrelled as thoroughly as they had loved. Then, with equal thoroughness they swept up the piecesâ€"returned the presents, burned the letters, and tried to persuade themselves and their friends that the whole affair was washed out as utterly as if it had never happened. She stayed where she was, and he went to live in a different town. That’s the prologue. The story commences when Doris, coming out of a theatre with her aunt, met Billy for the first time in two years. “Pléa-se don’vt speak of him, Billy," READY TO SERVE AND GOOD TO EAT ELAHK’S THE PLO'E‘TERS CANADIAN DILEB DINNER I W.CLARK LI’I“° horn-[As ’émm she said firmly. “I never Want to think about him, or remember him again.” “Oh, I say!” exclaimed Billy, his eyebrows almost vanishing into his hair. “Is it as bad as that still?” “So far as I am concerned,” said Doris implacably,“‘Derek has ceased .to exist; and, above all things, I don’t wish to be reminded of him. Nothing pould possibly restore matters to their .old footing, or make amends for his ibehavior. That incident is quiteâ€" ; quite closed!” “Well?” said Derek. , He looked down at her with a queer, almost tender expression in his eyes. “You here!” Doris said foolishly. She ignored his [proffered hand, and sawjuim flush at the slight. "Yes," said Doris, and contrived a' little smilé and a lift of the eyebrows that tacitly inquired what he had exâ€" pected. “I have been for some time. Are you surprised?” I He Was coming doWn the passage, kid, is it too late to pick up the broken his tall head well in view above the t)h‘l‘eads and mend them? IS it l€00 few late-comers who stravggled out in late?” front of him. Before she could recover Doris, SUddenlY beyond Speech herself, his eyes had met hers and she ' Sh00k her head and turned awaY- She knew that an encounter was inevitable. ‘ felt his arm round her~felt both her An_<_l_ he \Yes'eccompanied by’a girl. lhapflq‘s capght‘inpne‘ofnhisi. “'I‘Hgn we're engaged!” said Doris, finger on lips as in their schooldays’ prgpks. l‘I hadn't heard,” said Derek. “Well, on have my good wishes, both of you. ’m married now, you know!" "Married!" said Doris. “Sure. Quite a hoary'Benedict by thi time." fie turned to the girl at the mirror. She tucked a handkerchief into her vanity-bag, and came up to them. The light gleamed on}??? wedding ring. “I’ve met an old friend, Madge. This is my wife, Mi’ss Hamer.” He slipped his arm t-hrongh the girl’s with a surreptitious squeeze, and the girl looked from Doris’ face to his “Sinful prideâ€"that what it was!” she said. “Pride on both sides! You were a trifle worse than he, but not much. Great pity, as I’ve always said. He was a good boy. Nothing but ridiculous pride!” “And yew-what about you, Billy ?" asked Doris hurriedly. At the bottom of her heart she knew perfectly well that her aunt was right. \ “Oh, to ~hole!” said Billy en- thusia-stical y, and shuffled and looked down his nose, ver ink and pleased. “The fact is, Iâ€"weil, met the dearest girl in the world when I was in hos- pital down South, and we got en- gaged." . ‘ “Really? Ohz Billy, how glad I am!" exclaimed .Doris sincerely. Billy grew pinker and his, :mile broader. The aunt, scenting imminâ€" 1v; "you could sink to such depths. l v | l i l \u can: uuah You straight from your at 5vuu neon, Hub 4 unu. u come to wifeâ€"” “Oh, Doris. we’ve been a pair of fools, you and I!” said Derek. “She isn’t my wife.” “Not your wife?” “No; any more than Billy Whyte’s your fiance.” “Then what made you tell me she was?” . “The same mad reason that pos- sessed you to say that you were en- gaged to Billy. Prideâ€"sinful pride, as'Mis-s Anne used to call it.” He laughed a little bitterly. “Madge rose to the occasion well, I must say, see- ing that I sprang it on her without a moment’s warning. But I shouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t thought you reallywere engaged.” me Billy grew pinker and his. :mile broader. The aunt, scenting imminâ€" ent rhapsodies, cut in thh more alagrity thap gonsideratipn: She transferred her diamond ringâ€"- a recent birthday present from her fatherâ€"to the thlrd finger of her left hand, and went backâ€"to run clean into Derek, rendering escape imposâ€" sible. There was nothing for it but to make thevbest of a bad job. Hds com- panion had halted to straighten her hajgibefore a chance min-or. “Only for a day or two,” he said, “You’re looking very well.” He caught sight of her left hand, and took it up quickly and examined the ring. “S'o youfije epgag‘ed?” he said. “Do ’you think you can find us a taxi, Willie?” she asked. “We sha]. never ge_t__ope_ if we wait rryggh longer.’f “Right you are, Miss Anne,” said Bdlly cheerfully, and piloted the old lady to a seat. “Just sit down here until I come back." ' “Billy,” she said desperately}, v 7“VI want you to be a pal to me. I’m going to “aflmprom‘iAse y_ou _gi_reagl_fullyz” “Pleésure’s niine!" said Bfuy With- out hesitation. It was at that moment Doris saw Derek. r That did it. All the old pride, strengthened by repression, flew up ready for battle. She gave one quick glance round, as if for help; then turn- ed and followed Billy, overtaking him half way down the steps outside. In alllh‘isnliiie he had never failed her yet; You‘ could never take Billy at a loss. He was a peayl beyond price in emergencies. “But I say, Doris-â€"â€"-”Billy began prote‘stingly. ' “Please, Billy!” Billy subsided. The aunt, who never cared whose foes she trod on, put in? her contribution. 7 j l, “I refuse to be insulted like this,” she said. f‘I‘knew you were capable of a good deal, but I didn’t dream that ‘Jou could sink to such depths. You gcome to me straight from your ,1wifeâ€"â€"” i “I’m afraid I fail to understand,” isafid Doris coldly, her eyes hostile. r “Saying you were engaged to Whyte.” 1 “I don’t see how my engagement ‘concerns you.” ’ “Considering that it doesn’t exist, ‘I think I have 4 right to inquire.” “You forfeited all rights long ago. My affair-s are nothing to you now.” “On the'contrary, they are every- thing to me.” , Doris was whitexand quivering with anger. Doâ€"ris’ sensevofv humor~a1ways one of her saving gracesfbegan to get the better of her. 7 ‘ “And I shouflin’t have done it if I hadn’t seen y'ou with'a girl,” she said. “Then you’re notâ€"you’re not ” Derek came across the room. “There's never been anyone else in my life except you,” he said. “On my honor, I’ve never cared for another womanâ€"never tried to. Oh, Doris, kid, is it too late to pick up the broken threads and mend them? Is it too “Not a patch on what I think of myself. We’ve both been pretty fool- 181] all this While, it seems to me. Don’t you think it’s about time we reformed?” Dorls agreed that it was. “There wasn‘t a minute in them that could match with last night for wretchednevsvs. When you’d gone home, I made Billy tell me what you’d said about ,me, and I thought then that I couldn’t possibly stand a chance. I only came over because I was still hoping: against hppe.” “There was, no need. I’d been with him and his wife all the evening.” “His wife?” “The one I borrowed. They’ve only just finished their honeymoon. He says Miss Anne didn’t ive him a chagce t_o tel] you theyyho e_st0r_y.” _ “Derek, Whit; an idiot I’ve Been! What you must have thought of rueâ€"- all three of you!" ‘ Patâ€"“VVell, I didn’t open it.:for on the outside of the envelope was print- ed, ‘Please return in five days.’ So I sent it back.” 7 “Oh, Doris, we’ve been a pair of fools, you and I!” said Derek. “She isn’t my wife.” “Not your wife?” “No; any more than Billy W.hy'te’s I‘Diafiilly tell‘you that he and I wersp’t'engaged ?” Mikeâ€"“I heard you your brother Denny." Fabâ€"“Indeed, I did Mike~“Was there tant in the letter?" 'Cloths used for oilmg floors or furniture should be kept in the open. Fires may start from the spontaneous combustion of such cloths if they are kept in a cllosed receptacle. thank you,” Dori-s whispered as the aunt bundled herself in. “You’re sure â€"-sure you didn’t mind ?” “Not a bit." said Billy. Quite illogically. Doris cried herself to sleep that night. She awoke {hora oughly miserable, with red eyes and a remorseful conscience, the sole mitiga- tion of her wretchedness being the re- flection that she had saved her pride. This cold comfort upheld her until the afternoon, when the maid announced Derek. ‘ _ “Don’t! It waé my f'aultâ€"wâ€"mine all along. I spoilt those three years for you: She faced him stood unsmiling the room. I “What was the idea, Doris?” he asked. “There’sw nobody else?" he whisper- ed. “Doris! Doris! Oh, my dearest, I don’t deserve this. Can you\ever for- giygmg for_ the past threg years?” _ mnard'a Liniment Cures Diphtheria. “NO I) H rel' topped. ‘ek was r‘ ach ot omr Obeying Orders. I heard you got a letter from mil uit TOUT (The End.) nie her there anything impor I'G from the window; at the other end lD( fiar .llate you met my ancy I have,” said mienâ€"what?" 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