"That would be betraying a confidence," said he. "I will say this much, however: I think I wrote your name fifty times or more in connection with it." "Rubbish!" said I. "Not at all!" said he, with agreeable spirit. A sudden chill came over me. "She isn't figuring on having it published, is she?" "I can't say as to that," was his disquieting reply. "It wasn't any of my business, so I didn't ask." "Oh," said I, "I see." "I think it is safe to assume, however, that it is not meant for publication," said he. "It strikes me as being a bit too personal. There are parts of it that I don't believe she'd dare to put into print, although she reeled them off to me without so much as a blush. 'Pon my soul, Mr. Smart, I never was so embarrassed in my life. She--" "Never mind," I interrupted hastily. "Don't tell tales out of school." He was silent for a moment, fingering his big eyeglasses nervously. "It may please you to know that she thinks you are an exceedingly nice man." "No, it doesn't!" I roared irascibly. "I'm damned if I like being called an exceedingly nice man." "They were my words, sir, not hers," he explained desperately. "I was merely putting two and two together--forming an opinion from her manner not from her words. She is very particular to mention everything you do for her, and thanks me if I call her attention to anything she may have forgotten. She certainly appreciates your kindness to the baby." "That is extremely gratifying," said I acidly. He hesitated once more. "Of course, you understand that the divorce itself is absolute. It's only the matter of the child that remains unsettled. The--" I fairly barked at him. "What the devil do you mean by that, sir? What has the divorce got to do with it?" "A great deal, I should say," said he, with the rare, almost superhuman patience that has made him so valuable to me. "Upon my soul!" was all that I could say. Hawkes rapped on the door luckily at that instant. "The men from the telephone company are here, sir, and the electricians. Where are they to begin, sir?" "Tell them to wait," said I. Then I hurried to the top of the east wing to ask if she had the least objection to an extension 'phone being placed in my study. She thought it would be very nice, so I returned with instructions for the men to put in three instruments: one in her room, one in mine, and one in the butler's pantry. It seemed a very jolly arrangement all 'round. As for the electric bell system, it would speak for itself.