"Well, that being the case," Jane went on rapidly, "it wasn't a bit nice of _me_ to send you away without a word of explanation; now was it? But this is the real, true reason; I don't mind telling it now." She paused to smile happily to herself--"I caught a glimpse of Mr. Everett coming up the street, and--and I thought it would be very awkward for you--for him--to meet just then. I hope you are not too horribly vexed with me?" She smiled brilliantly upon him, with an obvious desire to be at peace with all her little world. "Hum--ah," began Mr. Towle, eyeing the wistful little face which was inclined toward his with a sternness born of his determination not to make a fool of himself. "I--I beg to assure you, Mrs. Everett, that I--er--quite understand, and I am not disposed to----" Jane's eyes drooped; so did the corners of her mouth. "I never seem able to say the right thing at the right time," she said mournfully. "I see that I have offended you again, and I only meant to tell you--to apologize for----" "Jane," said Mr. Towle, in the deep, caressing tone which Jane had heard only twice before from his lips, "I forgive you for--everything, and I hope you will believe me when I tell you that I hope for nothing better in life than to hear that all is going well with you, and that you are--happy." "Thank you," said Jane softly. Her eyes beamed kindly upon him. "You are very good," she said; "I think I shall be even happier because you have said this." And the Hon. Wipplinger Towle in his own peculiarly patient, middle-aged fashion blessed her in his heart of hearts for that little word "even." It was, in a way, one of those crumbs which sometimes fall from a rich man's table, and as such he thankfully appropriated it as his own meager share of the loaf which an unfriendly Fate had denied him. THE END THE LEADING NOVEL OF TODAY. The Fighting Chance. By ROBERT W. CHAMBERS. Illustrated by A. B. Wenzell. 12mo. Ornamental Cloth, $1.50. In "The Fighting Chance" Mr. Chambers has taken for his hero, a young fellow who has inherited with his wealth a craving for liquor. The heroine has inherited a certain rebelliousness and dangerous caprice. The two, meeting on the brink of ruin, fight out their battles, two weaknesses joined with love to make a strength. It is refreshing to find a story about the rich in which all the women are not sawdust at heart, nor all the men satyrs. The rich have their longings, their ideals, their regrets, as well as the poor; they have their struggles and inherited evils to combat. It is a big subject, painted with a big brush and a big heart. "After 'The House of Mirth' a New York society novel has to be very good not to suffer fearfully by comparison. 'The Fighting Chance' is very good and it does not suffer."--_Cleveland Plain Dealer._ "There is no more adorable person in recent fiction than Sylvia Landis."--_New York Evening Sun._ "Drawn with a master hand."--_Toledo Blade._