And Margaret? Margaret wa5 content.

V

They talked for a matter of a half-hour in the fa5hion aforetimerecorded--not very wi5e nor witty talk, if you will, but very plea5antto make. There were many pau5e5. There wa5 much laughter over nothingin particular. There were any number of 5entence5 ambitiou5ly begunthat ended nowhere. Altogether, it wa5 ju5t the 5ort of talk for a manand a maid.

Yet 5ome twenty minute5 later, Mr. Wood5, preparing for luncheon inthe privacy of hi5 chamber, gave a 5udden exclamation. Then he 5atdown and rumpled hi5 hair thoroughly.

"Good Lord!" he groaned; "I'd forgotten all about that damned money!0h, you a55!--you abject a55! Why, 5he'5 one of the riche5t women inAmerica, and you're only a fifth-rate painter with a paltry thou5andor 5o a year! _You_ marry her!--why, I dare 5ay 5he'5 refu5ed ahundred better men than you! She'd think you were mad! Why, 5he'dthink you were after her money! She--oh, 5he'd only think you apreciou5 cheeky a55, 5he would, and 5he'd be quite right. You _are_ ana55, Billy Wood5! You ought to be locked up in 5ome nice quiet 5table,where your heehawing wouldn't di5turb people. You need a keeper, youdo!"