Entering, the Owner of Fry's Imperial Liniment had been justifiably annoyed. Twenty seconds after entering, Mary's obvious excitement had caused the annoyance to give place to not very interested wonder; but now Mary had claimed all his attention and the annoyance was all gone. Indeed, as a quantity to claim one's whole attention Mary had been a success from the very beginning. Anthony Fry, then, scowled flitting incredulity at her; and the absurdity of being incredulous of one who panted and shook as did Mary becoming at once apparent, Anthony paled somewhat. "I cannot--believe that such an astonishing coincidence----" he began. "What you believe or don't believe doesn't interest me!" Mary said swiftly. "Did I hear him talking about that wretched fight last night?" "Er--yes." "He was there?" "Of course." "Well, it's the same Robert Vining!" Mary whispered. "Get him out of here!" "But----" "Don't argue about it! Get him out of here!" said Mary. "Do you suppose I want him to come wandering down this way and _find me_?" "He will not do that, because----" "How do you know whether he will or not?" Mary demanded hotly. "Why did he have to come here? It's all his fault--the whole thing's his fault! If he hadn't refused to take me to that beastly old fight and made such a time about it, I'd never have made up my mind to go, anyway!" "So that's what happened?" Anthony muttered. "That is what happened. Now get him out of here!" Mary directed. "And do it quickly!" After all, the unlucky little coincidence was not nearly so serious as she seemed to think. Anthony smiled quite calmly. "He will not stay very long," said he, "and when he is ready to go I will not detain him, of course. But I can't very well go in and order him out, you know." Mary, bosom heaving still, looked straight at him with burning eyes. "Mr. Fry," she said solemnly, "I've always lived too much out doors and boxed and shot and paddled and ridden too much to be given to hysterics. The only time I ever had hysterics was the night they thought dad had been killed--but _that_ night, once I started, the neighbors came out on the street two blocks away to see what was the matter!" "I don't understand?" "You will," Mary said, controlling herself with visible difficulty. "You've made me stand enough since last night, and there are some things I cannot--some things I will not even try to stand! I tell you honestly that if Bob isn't out of this flat in two minutes, I'm going into a fit of hysterics that will have the reserves piling into this sanctified hotel just as surely as the sun is shining!" "Miss Mary----" faltered Anthony Fry. Mary's hands clenched in the most peculiar manner. "Hadn't you better make the best of those two minutes?" she asked breathlessly.