"And come to commemorate the date, December the sixth?" "Commemorate, yes. Come? I didn't know. I hoped--until it grew dark; then--one loses certainty alone after dark." "It wasn't that which you had expected all day to happen, though," said Roberts, evenly. The girl did not dissimulate. "No," she said simply. One step nearer had they approached the mystery, one step only, but the man came no further--then. "And weren't you going to commemorate it yourself, since you remembered?" he digressed. "Yes, I have done so. I've been celebrating all day. I haven't washed a dish; they're all stacked out in the kitchen. And this--" she stood up deliberately and turned about that the other might see--"is my party gown, worn in honor of the occasion." She returned to her place and again the needle passed methodically in and out of the linen. "Are you satisfied?" "Satisfied!" It was the rebellious cry of a dominant thing trapped and suffering. "Satisfied!" By pure force of will he held back the flood. "Elice, won't you please put up that work--for to-night? It's--ghastly." As though paralyzed, the white hands paused, for half a minute lay idle. Without comment she obeyed. "You know what I mean," said the man. "It makes me irresponsible. I want to throttle the something somewhere to blame." "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. If I had expected for an instant--" "Don't, please!" It was supplication from one accustomed to command. "Talk about human beings being pawns in the game or straws before the whirlwind!" Again the curt repression by pure force of will, and the inevitable pause with the digression complete following. "I haven't heard your report of yourself yet, Elice. It's due me, overdue. I promised you not to write, and kept my word, you know." The girl looked at him with eyes that tried to smile. "Ask me anything else and I'll answer," she said. "This I can't answer, because there's nothing to be said. I've merely been waiting." "As you were to-night, when I startled you?" The girl's lips tightened, but they relaxed. She was in command now. "Yes," she said. It was the second step; and for the second time the man approached no nearer--then. "Won't you let me ask you questions instead," countered the girl, "as a favor?" "Certainly, if you prefer." "'If I prefer.'" She mouthed the words deliberately. "Very well, then. What have you been doing since I saw you last?" Roberts gave her an odd look. "Getting older mostly," he said. "I might have chronicled that fact myself," echoed the girl. "Very fast," added the man, evenly. "Did you notice my hair?" "It is grayer--a bit," reluctantly. "Grayer!" Roberts laughed. "I made a microscopical examination recently for one hair of the original color to preserve as a relic. It was too late. Do you care to volunteer in the search?" The girl ignored the invitation. "What else did you do?" she asked.