"True. But I know of one chaperone who could become deaf and blind," she said, with a broad and happy grin. "On my door, you know, there's a huge invisible sign that says, to everyone except you, 'STOP! BRAIN AT WORK! SILENCE!', and if I were properly approached and sufficiently urged, I might ... I just _conceivably_ might ..." "Consider it done, you little sweetheart! Up to and including my most vigorous and most insidious attempts at seduction." "Done. Maneuver your big, husky carcass around here behind the desk so the door can open." She flipped a switch and punched a number. "I can call anybody in here, any time, you know. Hello, dear, this is Teddy. Can you come in for just a few minutes? Thanks." And, one minute later, there came a light tap on the door. "Come in," Teddy called, and Temple Bells entered the room. She showed no surprise at seeing Hilton. "Hi, chief," she said. "It must be something both big and tough, to have you and Teddy both on it." "You're so right. It was very big and very tough. But it's solved, darling, so ..." "_Darling?_" she gasped, almost inaudibly, both hands flying to her throat. Her eyes flashed toward the other woman. "Teddy knows all about us--accessory before, during and after the fact." "_Darling!_" This time, the word was a shriek. She extended both arms and started forward. Hilton did not bother to maneuver his "big, husky carcass" around the desk, but simply hurdled it, straight toward her. * * * * * Temple Bells was a tall, lithe, strong woman; and all the power of her arms and torso went into the ensuing effort to crack Hilton's ribs. Those ribs, however, were highly capable structural members; and furthermore, they were protected by thick slabs of hard, hard muscle. And, fortunately, he was not trying to fracture _her_ ribs. His pressures were distributed much more widely. He was, according to promise, doing his very best to flatten her whole resilient body out flat. And as they stood there, locked together in sheerest ecstasy, Theodora Blake began openly and unashamedly to cry. It was Temple who first came up for air. She wriggled loose from one of his arms, felt of her hair and gazed unseeingly into her mirror. "That was _wonderful_, sweetheart," she said then, shakily. "And I can _never_ thank you enough, Teddy. But we can't do this very often ... can we?" The addendum fairly begged for contradiction. "Not too often, I'm afraid," Hilton said, and Theodora agreed.... "Well," the man said, somewhat later, "I'll leave you two ladies to your knitting, or whatever. After a couple of short ones for the road, that is." "Not looking like that!" Teddy said, sharply. "Hold still and we'll clean you up." Then, as both girls went to work: