“How lacking in piety!” said Bruce, who could have pointed out her Grandfather Mills! He bestowed a hasty glance at the portrait, satisfied that Leila at least would never detect her ancestor’s resemblance to himself. The servant, having sufficiently agitated the cocktails, withdrew. Leila, waiting till the door to the back stairs closed, began advancing with long steps and a rowdyish swagger toward the tray. “Alone with a cocktail! And I’m going to a dry party! Hist!” She bent her head toward the door, her hand to her ear. “What’s the Colonel doing?” she asked. “At the telephone; he’ll be here any minute.” “Quick! Fill that glass--that’s the good sport!” “Service for two only! You wouldn’t rob _me_!” “Please--I don’t want my gloves to reek of gin--please!” “You can’t touch that tray--you can’t touch that shaker! You’re hypnotized!” he declared solemnly. “Oh, tush!” With a quick movement she tried to grasp the shaker; but he caught her hand, held it a moment, then let it fall to her side while he smiled into her bright, eager eyes. “In the name of all your ancestors I forbid you!” he said. “You wouldn’t trust me with one?” she demanded, half defiant, half acquiescing. “Not tonight, when you’re meeting old family friends and all that!” “Pshaw!” She stamped her foot. “I can stop at half a dozen houses and get a drink----” “But you won’t; really you won’t!” “What’s it to you--why should you care?” she demanded, looking him straight in the eyes. “Aren’t we friends?” he asked. “A friend wouldn’t give it to you. See! You don’t really want it at all--it was just an hallucination!” “Oh, no!” she said, puckering her face and scowling her abhorrence of the idea while her eyes danced merrily. “I just _dreamed_ I wanted it. Well, score one for you, old top! You’re even nicer than I thought you were!” “Leila, haven’t you _gone_ yet?” exclaimed Mills, appearing suddenly in the room. “No, Dada! I was just kidding Bruce a little. Hope you have a nice dinner! Don’t be too solemn, and don’t scold your guest the way you do me. Yes, I’ve got my key and every little thing. Good-night. Come and see me sometime, Bruce.” She lifted her face for her father to kiss, paused in the doorway to shake her fist at Bruce and tripped down the hall singing. “Do pardon me for keeping you waiting,” said Mills. “I had a New York call and the connection was bad. Let’s see what we have here----” “Allow me, sir----” As Bruce gave the drinks a supplemental shake Mills inspected the two glasses, ostensibly to satisfy himself that the housekeeping staff had properly cared for them, but really, Bruce surmised, to see whether Leila had been tippling. II When they went down to the dining-room Bruce found it less of an ordeal than he had expected to sit at Mills’s table. Mills was a social being; his courtesy was unfailing, and no doubt he was sincere in his expressions of gratitude to Bruce for sharing his meal.