“Don't hurry,” Mary protested. “I know I've been stubborn, but I've been so happy in your coming. I do get lonely--frightfully lonely, sometimes--don't think I'm ungrateful----” “You're dangerously beautiful, child,” the artist said, with enthusiasm. “And remember that I love you--no matter how silly you are--good-by.” “You won't stay for a cup of tea? I meant to ask you an hour ago.” “No, I've an engagement with a dreadful man whom I've no idea of ever marrying. I'm going to dinner with him--just to study the animal at dose range.” With a jolly laugh and quick, firm step she was gone. Mary snatched the kitten from his snug bed between the pillows of the window-seat and pressed his fuzzy head under her chin. “She tempted us terribly, Kitty darling, but we didn't let her find out--did we? You know deep down in your cat's soul that I was just dying to meet the distinguished Gordon--but such high honors are not for home bodies like you and me----” She dropped on the seat and closed her eyes for a long time. The kitten watched her wonderingly sure of a sudden outbreak with each passing moment. Two soft paws at last touched her cheeks and two bright eyes sought in vain for hers. The little nose pressed closer and kissed the drooping eyelids until they opened. He curled himself on her bosom and began to sing a gentle lullaby. For a long while she lay and listened to the music of love with which her pet sought to soothe the ache within. The clock in the tower chimed six. She lifted her body and placed her head on a pillow beside the window. The human torrent below was now at its flood. Two streams of humanity flowed eastward along each broad sidewalk. Hundreds were pouring in endless procession across Madison Square. The cars in Broadway north and South were jammed. Every day she watched this crowd hurrying, hurrying away into the twilight--and among all its hundreds of thousands not an eye was ever lifted to hers--not one man or woman among them cared whether she lived or died. It was horrible, this loneliness of the desert in an ocean of humanity! For the past year it had become an increasing horror to look into the silent faces of this crowd of men and women and never feel the touch of a friendly hand or hear the sound of a human voice in greeting. And yet this endless procession held for her a supreme fascination. Somewhere among its myriads of tramping feet, walked the one man created for her. She no more doubted this than she doubted God Himself. It was His law. He had ordained it so. She had grown so used to the throngs below her window and so loved the little park with its splashing fountain that she had refused to follow her landlady uptown when the brownstone boarding-house facing the Square had been turned into a studio building.