They behaved foolishly; she fed him strawberries at intervals, discreetly, on a fork--and otherwise. "Think of it! Fruit--at three in the morning, Louis! I hope Heaven will protect _this_ working girl.... No, dear, I'd rather not have any champagne.... You forget that this is a brand-new girl you're supping with ... And, for reasons of her own--perhaps as an example to you--there is never again to be anything like that--not even a cigarette." "Nonsense--" "Oh, it's on account of my voice, not my morals, goose! I have rather a nice voice you know, and, if we can afford it, it would be a jolly good idea to have it cultivated ...Isn't this melon divine! What fun, Louis!... I believe you _are_ a little happier. That crease between your eyes has quite disappeared--There! Don't dare let it come back! It has no business there I tell you. I _know_ it hasn't--and you must trust my word. Will you?" She leaned swiftly toward him, placed both hands on his shoulders. "You've a perfectly new girl to deal with," she said, looking him in the eyes;--"a miracle of meekness and patience that is rather certain to turn into a dreadful, frowsy old hausfrau some day. But that's the kind you wanted.... It's none of my doings--" "Valerie!" "What?" "You darling!--do you mean--" She closed his lips with hers. "Silence," she said; "we have plenty to talk over before the hour arrives for me to be a door-mat. I _won't_ be a door-mat when I'm trying to be happy over a perfectly good supper!... Besides I want to torture you while there's still time. I want to make you miserable by reminding you how disgracefully unmoral we are, here in your studio together at three in the morning--" She stretched out a slim, white ringless hand, and lifted the third finger for his inspection: "Not a sign of a ring! Shame!" She turned her pretty, daring face to his, eyes sparkling with audacity: "Besides, I'm not going back to-night." He said tranquilly: "I should think not." "I mean it, Kelly, I simply won't go. And you may ring up the police and every ambulance in town--and the fire department--" "I've done it," he said, "but the fire department refuses to put you out.... You don't mean to say you've finished!--after fasting all day like a little idiot," he exclaimed as she sprang to her feet and pushed away her chair. "I have. I am _not_ an anaconda!" ... She passed swiftly into the outer room where her own toilet necessaries were always ready, and presently came back, leisurely, her hands behind her back, sauntering toward, him with a provoking smile edging her lips: [Illustration: "'Yes,' she said, 'it is really great.'"] "You may retire when you like, Kelly, and tie your red cotton night-cap under your chin. _I_ shall sit up for the sun. It's due in about an hour, you know." "Nonsense," he said. "We'll both, be dead in the morning."