"Your friend Mr. Ward," she began abruptly, in a whisper, "is
the rudest, most ill-bred person I ever met. When I talked to
him the" other day I thought he was nice. He was nice, But he
has behaved abominably--like a boor--like a sulky child. Has
he no sense of humor? Because I played a joke on him, is
that any reason why he should hurt me?"

"Hurt you?" exclaimed little Holworthy in amazement. "Don't
be ridiculous! How could he hurt you? Why should you care how
rude he is? Ward's a clever fellow, but he fancies himself.
He's conceited. He's too good-looking; and a lot of silly
women have made such a fuss over him. So when one of them
laughs at him he can't understand it. That's the trouble. I
could see that when I was telling him."

"Telling him!" repeated Miss Flagg--"Telling him what?"

"About what a funny story you made of it," explained
Holworthy. "About his having the nerve to ask you to feed the
monkeys and to lunch with him."

Miss Flagg interrupted with a gasping intake of her breath.

"Oh!" she said softly. "So-so you told him that, did you?
And--what else did you tell him?" ,

"Only what you told us--that he said 'the day could not begin
too soon'; that he said he wouldn't let you be a manicure and
wash the hands of men who weren't fit to wash the streets you