Mme. Petrovskey took up her theme complacently. "Think it over, Alexis. Don't permit an obstinate girl to ruin your life. You love another woman----" A dangerous gleam in his eye, he checked her quickly. "We will not speak of that!" "Very well. Only, as I was going to say before, it is not as if you loved Claire and she could keep you. By clinging stubbornly to you, she is merely ruining her own life as well. I believe Dr. Elliott would marry her if she were free." A new eagerness flitted over Alexis' face. "If I thought there was a chance of that!" "She would have to be forced into it, of course. She is as obstinate about her religion as she is weak about you." "I don't intend to force her! I'm sorry I came. When I received your letter I thought you would have something tangible to suggest. Something beside these brutalities." "I offer you freedom and you call me names!" The tiny mouth pursed with rage. "But wait a moment, I'm afraid you can't go now. They're back from the movies. Isn't that the elevator?" The blood receded from Alexis's face. Yes, surely that was Claire's voice approaching the door. Would to God he had never come! A key clicked in the lock and Claire stood upon the threshold. Behind her Dr. Elliott turned white as he saw Alexis. Placing a mechanical arm about Claire, he piloted her in. She fell into a chair beside the door. "Alexis!" Tears streamed from her eyes. Her voice was feeble. He sprang forward with a cry of pity and bent over her. "I'm sorry I frightened you, Claire." "I'm so silly," she murmured. "Only last night I dreamed that you had returned again!" "Poor child!" His face contracted in a spasm of pain. "I--I want to tell you how happy I am over your success! I heard you at the Philharmonic yesterday and--and it was glorious!" "You are always so generous," he felt broken with shame. "Generous! You call it that?" she retorted scornfully. Drawing her cape about her carefully, she preceded them into the living room. "Come in, Robert, I want you to meet my--my husband," she added, with a pathetic assumption of ease. A grim expression on his face, the young doctor broke his silence. "I can only stay a few minutes. I ought to go back to the hospital," he said gruffly. But if Claire needed him, he would not fail her. Mme. Petrovskey smiled, as she caught his belligerent eye. "Do stay, we will have a nice little chat." "I hear you have been to the movies," said Alexis, after they had settled themselves more or less stiffly about the room. Why in hell didn't the man get out? "Dr. Elliott is very good to me," broke in Claire naïvely. Alexis cursed inwardly. Did she expect him to thank the man for taking her off his hands? "It is Mrs. Petrovskey who has been good," retorted Elliott more gently.