He sent a smile to Fancy, half of welcome, half of amusement at her picturesque posture, and, with cordial "Good morning!" in a mellow barytone, removed his overcoat and hat, putting them into a closet near the hall door. He reappeared in morning coat, white waistcoat and pin-checked trousers, with a red carnation in his buttonhole. He held his hands for a moment before the fire, then looked indulgently at his blithe assistant. Now, one of Fancy’s charms was a slender, pointed tongue. This she was wont to exhibit, on occasion, by sticking it out of her mouth coquettishly, and shaking it saucily in the direction of her nostrils—a joyous exploit which was vouchsafed only upon rare and intimate occasions. This, now, she did, tilting her head backward to give piquancy to the performance. Granthope laughed, and went over to where she sat. "You’re a saucy bird, Fancy," he commented, leaning over her, both hands upon the desk. "Do you know I rather like you!" Her face grew drolly sober; her whimsical eyebrows lifted. "I don’t know as I blame you," she replied. "You always did have good taste, though." "I believe that I might go so far as to imprint a salute upon your chaste brow!" "I accept!" said Fancy Gray. He stooped over and kissed her. She was graciously resigned. "Thank you, Frank," she said demurely. "Small contributions gratefully received." She tucked her head into the corner of his arm, and he looked down upon her kindly. "Poor little Fancy!" he said softly. "Have you missed me, Frank?" "Horribly!" "Don’t laugh at me!" "How can I help it, O toy queen?" "Am I so awfully young?" "You’re pretty juvenile, Fancy, but you’ll grow up, I think." She was quite sober now. "Oh, there’s an awful lot of time wasted in growing up," she said. Then she squirmed her head so that she could look upward at him. "You’ve been awfully good to me, Frank!" Her tone was wistful. "You deserve more than you will ever get, I’m afraid," was his answer as he patted her hair. "I think you do like me a little." He shook his finger at her. "No fair falling in love!" She laughed. "I believe you’re afraid, Frank!" "I don’t know what I’d do without you, Fancy. We’ve been through a good deal together, first and last, haven’t we?" "Yes, we’ve had a good time. I’d like to do it all over again." "Heavens, no!" he exclaimed. "I wouldn’t! There’s enough ahead. From what I’ve seen of life, things don’t really begin to happen till you’re thirty, at least. All this will seem like a dream." "Sometimes I hope it will." Fancy was looking away, now. Her gaze returned to him after a moment of silence. "Don’t you ever think of getting out of this, Frank? You’re too good for these fakirs, really you are! Why, you could mix with millionaires, easy! And you’ve got a good start, now. They like you. You’ve got the style and the education and the ’know’ for it." He went back to the fireplace, standing there with his hands behind his back.