“But it gives me the chance to talk it over with friend Betty and perhaps plan for Sunday. If Zanin'll just leave her alone that long.” “It isn't as if I were thinking of myself, Hy...” “Of course not, Pete.” “The girl's in danger. We've _got_ to save her.” “What if she won't listen! She's high-strung.” “Then,” said Peter, flaring up with a righteous passion that made him feel suddenly like the hero of his own new play--“then I'll go straight to Zanin and force him to declare himself! I will face him, as man to man!” Thus the two Seventh-Story Men! At moments, during the few weeks just past, thoughts of his anonymous letter had risen to disturb Peter; on each occasion, until to-night, to be instantly overwhelmed by the buoyant egotism that always justified Peter to himself. But the thoughts had been there. They had kept him from attempts to see Sue, had even restrained him from appearing where there was likelihood of her seeing him; and they had kept him excited about her. Now they rose again in unsuspected strength. Of course she would refuse to see him! He slept hardly at all that night. The next day he was unstrung. And Saturday night (or early Sunday morning) when Hy crept in, Peter, in pajamas, all lights out, was sitting by the window nursing a headache, staring out with smarting eyeballs at the empty Square. “Worm here?” asked Hy guardedly. “Asleep.” Hy lighted the gas; then looked closely at the wretched Peter. “Look here, my son,” he said then, “you need sleep.” “Sleep”--muttered Peter, “good God!” “Yes, I know, but you've got a delicate job on your hands. It'll take expert handling. You've got to be fit.” “Did you--did you see Sue?” “No, only Betty. But they've been talking you over. Sue told Betty that you interest her.” “Oh--she did! Say anything else?” “More or less. Look here--has anything happened that I'm not in on? I mean between you and Sue.” Peter shivered slightly. “How could anything happen? I haven't been seeing her.” “Well--Sue says you're the strangest man she ever knew. She can't figure you out. Betty was wondering.” Hy was removing his overcoat now. Suddenly he gave way to a soft little chuckle. “For Heaven's sake, don't laugh!” “I was thinking of something else. Yes, I fixed it. But there's something up--a new deal. This here Silverstone saw _Any Street_ last night and went dippy over Sue. Betty told me that much but says she can't tell me the rest because it's Sue's secret, not hers. Only it came out that Zanin has dropped the idea of bringing you into it. Silverstone bought supper for the girls and Zanin last night, and this afternoon he took Zanin out to his Long Beach house for the night, in a big car. And took his stenographer along. Everybody's mysterious and in a hurry. Oh, there's a hen on, all right!” “So I'm out!” muttered Peter between set teeth. “But it's no mystery. Think I don't know Silverstone?” “What'll he do?”