"Suppose I were to tell you that I am Travers Gladwin and that the other Travers Gladwin with whom you think you are in love is not Travers Gladwin at all?" Her lip curled and she regarded him scornfully. But she said nothing. He went on into the other room, holding back the portière for her to follow. "Why don't you answer my question?" he insisted as she passed him. "It is much too silly," she said sharply. Then in a different tone to her cousin, who still stood by Whitney Barnes, with her color coming and going by turns: "Oh, Sadie, why didn't you come with us? Travers has the most wonderful things." "Then you are not going to answer my question?" Travers Gladwin asked again. "I said it was much too silly," the girl returned with increasing vehemence. Gladwin came forward and explained to Barnes and Sadie: "I have been asking Miss--er--I've been asking how she'd take to the idea of my being Travers Gladwin." Helen was now thoroughly aroused as she turned: "Why do you persist in asking such a question?" "I was wondering," he said quickly, "whether you were in love with the man or the name." "Have I given you the impression"----she began, haughtily, scarcely able to control her anger. "Yes, you have," he said warmly, and with all the dramatic emphasis he could command. "I am afraid you were thinking more of that rescue at Narragansett and your desire to be free of poor Mr. Hogg than you were of--of my poor friend." This insult was more than she could endure. She turned her back to address Whitney Barnes. "Shall you be here when Travers returns?" she said imperiously. "I am sure to see him before I leave," responded the young man. "And would you be kind enough to give him a message for me?" She had gathered up her fur piece and muff and was moving toward the door. "Delighted," said Barnes, with a deferential bow. "Thank you so much. I want you to tell him that I cannot avoid the opera to-night--that I have simply got to go, but that I'll get away as soon as I can and come to him directly from there." "But you can't do that," interposed Sadie in a voice that thrilled with alarm. "But I am going to do that," cried Helen, her face aflame and her head held high. "And now we must go--I'd no idea we'd stayed so long. Good-by and thank you." She had taken a step toward the entrance to the hallway when Gladwin strode forward. "You didn't say good-by to me," he said in an injured tone. Then with a sudden vehemence: "But I am glad you didn't, for we are going to meet again." "I suppose we shall if you are here when I return," she said coldly and without looking at him. "When you return?" he said, in quick surprise. "Yes, when I come back here to-night," in the same disdainful, snubbing tones. "You're going to meet Travers here to-night?" he queried, in palpable unbelief. "Yes, I am. He wanted me to meet him at the station, but I insisted on coming here."