He laid down the pen with a sigh. "A wonderful state--Colorado," I observed. "To me it's the land of memories," he said. "Sad, beautiful, irrevocable memories--try tea for breakfast--do you read Browning? Then you will remember that line: 'Oh, if I--' And I insist on your giving up that cocktail before dinner." "Some very dear friends of mine were once in Colorado," I said. "Morristown people--the Van Coorts." "The Van Coorts!" Doctor Jones sprang from his chair, his thin, handsome face flushing with excitement. "Do you mean to say that you know Eleanor Van Coort?" he gasped. "All my life." He dropped back into the chair again and mumbled something about cigars. I was only to have blank a day. In his perturbation I believe he limited me to a daily box. He was trying--and trying very badly--to conceal the emotions I had conjured up. "They were talking about you only yesterday," I went on. "That is, if it _was_ you! A Pullman drawing-room--" "And a mistake about the tickets," he broke out. "Yes, yes, it's they all right. Talking about me, did you say? Did Eleanor--I mean, did Miss Van Coort--express--?" "She was wondering how she could find you," I said. "You see, they're busy getting up a house-party and she was running over her men. 'If I only knew where that dear Doctor Jones was,' she said, and then asked me, if by any possible chance--" His fine blue eyes were glistening with all sorts of tender thoughts. It was really touching. And I was in love myself, you know. "So she has remained unmarried!" he exclaimed softly. "Unmarried--after all these years!" "She's a very popular girl," I said. "She's had dozens of men at her feet--but an unfortunate attachment, something that seems to go back to about three years ago, has apparently determined her to stay out of the game!" Doctor Jones dropped his head on his hands and murmured something that sounded like "Eleanor, Eleanor!" Then he looked up with one of the most radiant smiles I ever saw on a man's face. "I hope I'm not presuming on a very short acquaintance," he said, "but the fact is--why should I not tell you?--Miss Van Coort was the woman in my life!" I explained to him that Freddy was the woman in mine. Then you ought to have seen us fraternize!