the most comprehensive word in the woman's vocabulary, comprising
everything from slightly disagreeable to damned offensive."

"Really, Nick!"

Nick grinned. "Pardon my unparliamentary language!"

"But Nick, I've never been--that!" protested Olga.

"A matter of opinion!" laughed Nick.

But Olga did not laugh, she only flushed a little and changed the
subject.

About an hour later, Max, taking his hat from a peg in the hall,
preparatory to departing for the cottage-hospital, discovered the lining
thereof to be pulled away in order to accommodate a twisted scrap of
paper which had been pinned to it in evident haste.

He carried the hat to the consulting-room and there detached and
examined its contents. He smoothed out the crumpled morsel with his
customary deliberation, drawing his shaggy red brows together over a few
lines of minute writing which became visible as he did so.

"Dear Max," he read, "I'm sorry I've been a beast to
you lately. Please don't take any notice of this but let us
just be friends for the future. Yours,

"Olga."