in a voice as if he had not slept for months--

"Yes, there is a lot of grippe about."

Thayor looked at him from under lowered lids.

"I wonder you could have left these poor people," he said
sententiously.

Alice, scenting danger, stretched forth one white hand and touched the
doctor's wrist.

"You came because I couldn't do without you, didn't you, dear doctor?"

Again the portiere opened.

"Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Van Rock--Mr. Kennedy Jones--Miss Trevor,"
announced Blakeman successively.

Mrs. Thayor's fourth dinner party that week had begun.

* * * * *

As the door closed at midnight upon the last guest, Margaret kissed
her father and mother good-night and hurried to her room, leaving the
two alone. The dinner had been an ordeal to her--never before had she
seen her father so absorbed.

"You were very brilliant to-night, were you not?" exclaimed Alice as
soon as she and Thayor were alone.