His poor head went down again with a bob, and she caught up the type-written sheets of Obermuller's play. She waited a minute longer; half because she wanted to make sure Mason was asleep again before she tore the sheets across and crammed them down into the waste-basket; half because she pitied the old fellow and was sorry to take advantage of his condition. But she knew a cure for this last sorry--a way she'd help him later; and when she danced out into the hall she was the very happiest burglar in a world chock full of opportunities. Oh, she was in such a twitter as she did it! All that old delight in doing somebody else up, a vague somebody whose meannesses she didn't know, was as nothing to the joy of doing Tausig up. She was dancing on a volcano again, that incorrigible Nance! Oh, but such a volcano, Maggie! It atoned for a year of days when there was nothing doing; no excitement, no risk, nothing to keep a girl interested and alive. And, Maggie darlin', it was a wonderful volcano, that ones that last one, for it worked both ways. It paid up for what I haven't done this past year and what I'll never do again in the years to come. It made up to me for all I've missed and all I'm going to miss. It was a reward of demerit for not being respectable, and a preventive of further sins. Oh, it was such a volcano as never was. It was a drink and a blue ribbon in one. It was a bang-up end and a bully beginning. It was-- It was Tausig coming in as I was going out. Suddenly I realized that, but I was in such a mad whirl of excitement that I almost ran over the little fellow before I could stop myself. "Phew! What a whirlwind you are!" he cried. "Where are you going?" "Oh, good morning, Mr. Tausig," I said sweetly. "I never dreamed you'd be down so early in the morning." "What're you doing with the paper?" he demanded suspiciously. My eye followed his. I could have beaten Nancy Olden in that minute for not having sense enough to hide that precious agreement, instead of carrying it rolled up in her hand. "Just taking it home to go over it," I said carelessly, trying to pass him. But he barred my way. "Where's Mason?" he asked. "Poor Mason!" I said. "He's--he's asleep." "Drunk again?" I nodded. How to get away! "That settles his hash. Out he goes to-day ... It seems to me you're in a deuce of a hurry," he added, as I tried to get out again. "Come in; I want to talk something over with you." "Not this morning," I said saucily. I wanted to cry. "I've got an engagement to lunch, and I want to go over this stuff for Mason before one." "Hm! An engagement. Who with, now?" My chin shot up in the air. He laughed, that cold, noiseless little laugh of his. "But suppose I want you to come to lunch with me?" "Oh, thank you, Mr. Tausig. But how could I break my engagement with--" "With Braun?" "How did you guess it?" I laughed. "There's no keeping anything from you."