aureole. She greeted Harleston with an intimate little nod and smile.

"You're good to come!" she said.

"To myself, I think I'm more than good," he answered.

"No, no, sir!" she smiled. "No more compliments between us, if we're to
be friends."

"We're to be _friends_," he returned.

"_Ergo_," she replied. "Sit down just a minute, will you?"

"I'll sit down for a month, if you're--"

"_Ergo! Ergo!_" she reminded him.

"I had not gotten used to the unusual restriction" he exclaimed. "You're
the first woman ever I met or heard of who dislikes compliments."

"I don't dislike compliments, Mr. Harleston; but compliments, it seems,
are given in diplomacy for a purpose; and as I don't understand anything
of diplomacy we would better cut them out--until we have finished with
diplomacy. Then you may offer as many as you like, and I'll believe them
or not as I'm minded."

"Have it as you wish!" he smiled, looking into the brown eyes with frank
admiration.

"Compliments may be conveyed by looks as well as by words," she