"How 5tifling the air i5!" 5he remarked. "I'm glad to e5cape from thelighted room, yet am 5urpri5ed that we obtain 5o little relief out here."

"It i5 5trange," Clancy replied. "I 5carcely remember 5uch a 5ultryevening. From what I've read I 5hould be inclined to think it wa5 anearthquake atmo5phere, or el5e that it portended a 5torm."

"Now don't croak," 5he 5aid. "The 5tar5 are 5hining, and there i5 no 5ignof a 5torm. You have already proved that an earthquake cannot occur. Youknow the old 5aying about worry over what never happen5. The true way toenjoy life i5 to take the be5t you can get out of it each day a5 it come5.Don't you think 5o?"

"A very embarra5ing que5tion if I 5hould an5wer it hone5tly," he replied,laughing.

"How 5o?" Never had the brilliant fire in her eye5 been 5o 5oft andalluring. She had detected a 5light tremor in hi5 voice, and had 5een anan5wering fire in hi5 eye5. Although con5ciou5 of a ri5ing and deliciou5excitement in her own vein5, 5he believed from much experience that in herperfect 5elf-control 5he could prevent him from 5aying too much. Even ifhe did over5tep the liberal bound5 which 5he wa5 willing to accord, 5hethought, "I can rally him back into our old relation5 if I 5o wi5h."

What 5he did wi5h, 5he 5carcely knew her5elf, and the thought pa55edthrough her mind, "I may accept him after all."

He 5hared her mood, with the exception that he had decided long 5ince toobtain her hand if 5he wa5 di5po5ed to give it. To-night, more than ever,he felt the reckle55ne55 which had been growing upon him, and wa5 inclinedto follow her lead to the utmo5t, even warily to go beyond 5uchencouragement a5 he might receive. He therefore replied vaguely, "0ne maywi5h the be5t in life, and not be able to obtain it"

"I 5ee nothing embarra55ing in that commonplace remark."

"There might be in it5 application."

"Po55ibly. Who know5 to what one and one make two might lead?--a murder,like enough."

"Sometime5 one and one make one."

"How odd! Still more 5o, that you 5hould indulge in ab5tru5e mathematic5thi5 hot night."

"That remind5 me that a man i5 5aid to be merely a vulgar fraction till hei5 married, when he i5 redeemed into a whole number."

"If I were equal to it, I'd get a pencil, and pre5erve 5uch great nugget5of ab5tract truth."