in her long, clinging dress of white wool, with a scarf thrown about her
head and throat.

Within, Kate had finished her selections from opera and bouffe, and out
into the soft evening drifted her rich contralto in the yearning strains
of the "Blumenlied."

"I long to lay in blessing
My hands upon thy hair,
Praying that God may preserve thee
So pure, so bright, so fair!"

I bent over and touched my lips to Amy's forehead reverently. "God keep
you, my snow-flower!" I whispered. And then we went silently in
together.

The next day was so fine that Mrs. Mershon decided to drive over to the
neighboring town in the afternoon for some shopping, and Hilyard,
needing some simple chemicals for an experiment, which he hoped to find
there at the chemist's, accompanied her. Kate and Amy and I had intended
to go to a friend's for tennis, but at luncheon I received a telegram
calling me to the city on urgent business. We were only a half hour's
trip out, but I thought I might be detained until too late for dinner,
so promising to return as early in the evening as possible, I hurried
off.

On arriving in New York, I found the affair which had threatened to be
a prolix one, only demanded a few minutes' attention from me. I strolled
into the Club; there chanced to be no one there whom I cared to see; the
city was hot and ill-smelling, and I decided I could not do better than