"All the others are laughing," said Jack. "They had to get away when Thornton was introduced. He will be crazy when he finds out how he has been fooled." Frank was laughing. "Oh, yes; he'll tear his hair. The story is bound to circulate. Don't give him too much time with Griswold before you get in your work and challenge him. Horner is in the game, and he has agreed to help it along." "Thornton will murder Horner." "It will be remarkable if they do not suddenly cease to room together." "Have you brought the pistols?" "You bet! Everything is ready. Willis Paulding must be involved. We must soak him, as well as Thornton. There go Thornton and his mash toward the cozy corner. You must intrude before it becomes too warm for Griswold, or he is liable to give the whole snap away." In the meantime Thornton had expressed his delight at meeting his charmer again, and had led her away to the very cozy corner in which he had seen her chatting so vivaciously with Jack Diamond. Once in the corner the girl ensconced herself in the shadow of the portieres, and, for the first time, the fan dropped from her face. "This is charming," declared Thornton, in his most fascinating manner. "Ever since I first saw you I have dreamed of an occasion like this, Miss Darling." The girl giggled. "Oh, you are such a flatterer, Mr. Thornton!" she returned, leaning toward him. "Not at all," declared Tom, as, apparently by accident, his hand fell on hers and remained there. "I am telling you the truth. Since that hour when fate led you to my room, I have thought of you almost constantly by day, and I have dreamed of you at night. Your face has been before my eyes continually." Her head was bowed, so he could not see her eyes. He felt her hand quiver in his clasp. "Oh, I am not doing a thing!" was his mental exclamation. "She can't resist me!" He grew bolder with amazing rapidity. He seemed to fancy that he could do so with this unsophisticated country girl without being "called down." "Miss Darling," he murmured, leaning yet nearer to her, and holding her hand with both of his own, "do you believe in love at first sight?" She giggled again. "Why, I don't know," she confessed. "I do," declared Tom. "I did not till I met you, but since that delightful moment I have." "Oh, rot!" the girl seemed to say. "Eh?" exclaimed Thornton, in astonishment. "What did you say?" "I said, 'I think not,'" was the laughing answer. "My cousin has told me all about college fellows, and how they pretend to be all broken up over a girl, but are giving her the dead jolly all the time." Tom gasped, for the girl rattled off slang as if thoroughly familiar with it. But this dampened Thornton's ardor for no more than a moment. "I never give any one a jolly, Miss Darling," he declared, trying to appear sincere. "Miss Darling!" he murmured. "What a sweet name! And it suits you so well!" "Do you think so?" laughed the girl.