"Perhaps," said Dorothy, dropping her eyes and playing about with a fastening on her blouse, "I might be able to help you." Then after a pause she added, "You know you got me a rise." And then John Dene smiled. "Say, this is great," he cried. "I--I----" Then suddenly he jumped up, dashed for his hat and made for the door. As he opened it he threw over his shoulder: "We'll start right in to-morrow. I'm through with work for to-day. I'll be over to-night." Then suddenly Dorothy laughed. "Was ever maid so wooed?" she murmured. "But----" and she left it at that. As she thrust the pins into her hat, she decided that John Dene had been right. It would have been awkward to--to--well, to do anything but go home. Just as she was about to lock the outer door of the office, she had an inspiration. Returning to her table she removed her gloves and, after a few minutes' thought and reference to the London Directory, she sat down to her typewriter and for a few minutes her fingers moved busily over the keys. With a determined air she pulled the sheet from the clips and read:-- "JOHN DENE OF TORONTO. Lesson 1. Tailors . . . Pond and Co., 130 Sackville Street. Hosiers . . . Tye Brothers, 320 Jermyn Street. Bootmakers . Ease & Treadwell, 630 Bond Street. Hatters . . . Messrs. Bincoln and Lennet, Piccadilly. When a man knows his job, let him do it and don't butt in." With a determined little nod of approval, she folded the sheet of paper, inserted it in an envelope, which she addressed to "John Dene, Esq., The Ritzton Hotel, S.W. Immediate," and left the office. "I wonder what you would think of that, mother mine," she murmured as she left the hotel, after having given strict injunctions that the note be handed to John Dene immediately he returned. CHAPTER XXI MARJORIE ROGERS PAYS A CALL "Well, mother darling," cried Dorothy, as she jerked the pins into her hat, "you've lost the odd trick." "The odd trick!" repeated Mrs. West, looking up with a smile into her daughter's flushed and happy face. "What odd trick?" "John Dene of Toronto. Whoop! I want to jazz. I wonder if he jazzes;" then, with a sudden change of mood she dropped down beside her mother's chair and buried her face in her lap. When she looked up her eyes were wet with tears. "Mother, darling, I'm so happy." She smiled a rainbow smile. "What did you mean about the odd trick, dear?" enquired Mrs. West greatly puzzled, accustomed as she was to her daughter's rapid change of mood. "John Dene's the odd trick," she repeated, "and I'm going to marry him." Again she hid her face. "Dorothy!" "I am, mother, really and really." She looked up for a moment, then once more she buried her face in her mother's lap. "Dorothy dear, what do you mean?" "Oh! he was so funny when he proposed," gurgled Dorothy, "and I just said 'shucks.' That seemed to please him." "Dorothy dear, are you joking?"