Suddenly she snapped her hand-bag shut; she couldn't face her mother and the two spinster Brocks and elderly, inquisitive Carter Henderson. They'd suggest that she cut into the game, and they'd argue if she refused, and she couldn't play bridge now! She glanced at the impassive Mueller, turned and crossed the strip of lawn to Dr. Horker's residence, where the light still glowed in the library, and rang the bell. She saw the figure on the sidewalk move away as the shadow of the Doctor appeared on the lighted square of the door. "Hello," boomed the Doctor amiably. "Come in." Pat stalked into the library and threw herself angrily into Dr. Horker's particular chair. The other grinned, and chose another place. "Well," he said, "What touched off the fuse this time?" "Why are you spying on my friends?" snapped the girl. "By what right?" "So he's spotted Mueller, eh? That lad's diabolically clever, Pat--and I mean diabolic." "That's no answer!" "So it isn't," agreed the Doctor. "Say it's because I'm acting _in loco parentis_." "And _in loco_ is as far as you'll get, Dr. Carl, if you're going to spy on me!" "On you?" he said mildly. "Who's spying on you?" "On us, then!" "Or on us?" queried the Doctor. "I set Mueller to watch the Devine lad. Have you by some mischance broken your promise to me?" Pat flushed. She had forgotten that broken promise; the recollection of it suddenly took the wind from her sails, placed her on the defensive. "All right," she said defiantly. "I did; I admit it. Does that excuse you?" "Perhaps it helps to explain my actions, Pat. Don't you understand that I'm trying to protect you? Do you think I hired Mueller out of morbid curiosity, or professional interest in the case? Times aren't so good that I can throw money away on such whims." "I don't need any protection. I can take care of myself!" "So I noticed," said the Doctor dryly. "You gave convincing evidence of it night before last." "Oh!" said the girl in exasperation. "You would say that!" "It's true, isn't it?" "Suppose it is! I don't have to learn the same lesson twice." "Well, apparently once wasn't enough," observed the other amiably. "You walked into the same danger tonight." "I wasn't in any danger tonight!" Suddenly her mood changed as she recalled the circumstances of her parting with Nicholas Devine. "Dr. Carl," she said, her voice dropping, "I'm terribly unhappy." "Lord!" he exclaimed staring at her. "Pat, your moods are as changeable as my golf game! You're as mercurial as your Devine lad! A moment ago you were snapping at me, and now I'm suddenly acceptable again." He perceived the misery in her face. "All right, child; I'm listening." "He's going away," she said mournfully. "Don't you think that's best for everybody concerned? I commend his judgment." "But I don't want him to!" "You do, Pat. You can't continue seeing him, and his absence will make it easier for you."