For a moment Fanny returned his kiss passionately. Her arms clutched him tightly. She felt a curious lift in her heart, a thing she had never experienced before. It made her almost close her eyes. But she kept them open, watching furtively over Keegan's shoulder the figure of Aubrey. Aubrey had remained bent over the plates of sandwiches. Despite the lift in her heart this annoyed her. She wanted Aubrey's attention. "Oh," she sighed aloud. Aubrey heard. He straightened and for a moment stared at the tableau of the lovers. Fanny watching him behind Keegan's kiss saw his face grow red. Then she lowered her eyes and abandoned herself to the sensation of Keegan's arms. But the sensations faded. An interest seemed to have gone out of the situation. She pushed Keegan gently away and looked into the kitchen. Aubrey was gone. "Oh," she whispered. Keegan looked at her dizzily. "He saw...." "Who?" "Aubrey Gilchrist saw you." Her face flushed. "Did he?" Keegan leaned against the icebox. He felt weak. "I'm sure he did," Fanny insisted, an elated note in her voice, "I'm just positive." "He couldn't have seen much if he did, from where he was standing," Keegan murmured. "I don't care anyway," Fanny smiled. Keegan felt a thrill at the words. She loved him and didn't care who knew! "Neither do I," he agreed. He felt glad they had been seen. It made him blush inside but he was glad. "Oh, what do we care?" Fanny cried, "if the old stick-in-the-mud did see." Keegan reached his hands to her but she eluded him and darted into the kitchen. "Hurry, chop the ice," she called. She was confused. For a moment she had been surprised by an emotion--a curious, unsensual desire for the awkward Keegan. She had felt her heart yield to his embrace as she usually felt her body do. But the whole thing had been for Aubrey's benefit. It had started with an intention of making Aubrey jealous by flirting with Keegan. And when Aubrey had refused to show any signs of jealousy she had carried the flirtation further until it had seemed logical to kiss and embrace Keegan as a part of her original ambition to stir Aubrey. But she had been stirred herself by the man's kiss. Yet now that Aubrey was gone she had lost all interest in Hugh. She wanted to hurry back where the novelist was. She glanced apprehensively toward the door. Doris was standing looking at her. "What's the matter, Dorie?" "Mr. Ramsey has come. Mother said to set another place." "Good heavens! What a houseful." Doris nodded. Keegan was standing in the center of the room smiling inanely at the sink. "I'll help you," said Doris. 8