His home was almost dark inside, but he noticed rather to his surprise that the rooms had already been put in order. He sank down on the living room sofa and lay motionless for a while. How tired he was. From time to time he drearily sighed. Yes, Deborah would find him old and life here dull and lonely. Where was she to-night, he wondered. Couldn't she quit her zoo school for one single afternoon? At last, when the room had grown pitch dark, he heard the maid lighting the gas in the hall. Roger loudly cleared his throat, and at the sound the startled girl ejaculated, "Oh, my Gawd!" "It's I," said Roger sternly. "Did Miss Deborah say when she'd be back?" "She didn't go out, sir. She's up in her room." Roger went up and found her there. All afternoon with both the maids she had been setting the house to rights, and now she ached in every limb. She was lying on her bed, and she looked as though she had been crying. "Where have you been?" she inquired. "At Edith's," her father answered. She reached up and took his hand, and held it slowly tighter. "You aren't going to find it too lonely here, with Laura gone?" she asked him. And the wistfulness in her deep sweet voice made something thrill in Roger. "Why should I?" he retorted. Deborah gave a queer little laugh. "Oh, I'm just silly, that's all," she said. "I've been having a fit of blues. I've been feeling so old this afternoon--a regular old woman. I wanted you, dearie, and I was afraid that you--" she broke off. "Look here," said Roger sharply. "Do you really want to keep this house?" "Keep this house? Why, father!" "You think you can stand it here alone, just the two of us?" he demanded. "I can," cried Deborah happily. Her father walked to the window. There as he looked blindly out, his eyes were assaulted by the lights of all those titty-tatty flats. And a look of vicious triumph appeared for a moment on his face. "Very well," he said quietly, turning back. "Then we're both suited." He went to the door. "I'll go and wash up for supper," he said. CHAPTER VIII