He brought himself up with a jerk, realising that he was jabbering like a fool. The young women were polite and respectful. Not a sign of derision appeared in their faces. "Fierce wind, isn't it?" asked one of them, and it dawned instantly upon him that she was the one he loved. He jammed his hat far down upon his head, glancing, as he did so, at the other girl. She was smiling genially, her face rosy from the wind her sister condemned, and, with ruthless inconstancy, Mr. Hamshaw at once changed his mind. She was the one. "Pardon me for the liberty," he said, "but I am Mr. Hamshaw. We are neighbours, you know. Live in the same building." "Oh, is that so?" asked the taller of the two, and, to his dismay, he saw that her surprise was genuine. "Yes; you are on the second--I am on the sixth." "Where the Jap is?" asked the shorter one. "He's my valet." "Funny little thing, isn't it?" "An excellent servant, Miss--" "Look out, there goes your lid again! I'll get it--my legs are swifter than yours!" cried the tall athlete in petticoats, and off she sailed in pursuit. "You need some one to chase your hat for you, Mr. Hamshaw," said the short one airily. "Are you going our way?" asked the other, with a smile that could have led him to perdition. "To the end of the earth," he murmured gallantly. For the next ten minutes he walked on air. His heart was so light that it bobbed up and down like a fisherman's cork. He was not long in discovering that the tall one was Mame and the short one Lou--short for Marie and Louise, they explained on request! "I see a good many boxes of flowers going up to your apartment," ventured Mr. Hamshaw, quite out of breath. "Every day, and sometimes in between," said Marie. "Ah, it's so nice to be popular!" he chirped. "And--and you can't blame the men, either, you know." "You can't thank them, either, if they don't enclose their cards. Nearly every day there is a guessing match in the back parlour. It's poor form to send flowers without a card." "By George, they're fine girls!" reflected Mr. Hamshaw. "Healthy, vigorous, full of life, and not a bit spoiled. Hang it all, I'm an ass to act like this! But I can't help it. A man is never too old to learn or to love. I'll play hob with some of these young dandies before I get through. Hamshaw, you've got to win one of these girls. But which one? There's the rub! It's awfully annoying!"