"I think I do," he answered.

"Well, this is rent week and Peter's coat was out at the elbows and two
of us needed shoes and the insurance was due on all of us and mother
can't let that go. It came in very handy when Helen, Peter's twin, went
away."

"What do you mean by 'went away?' Don't lean on that knee, that's where
the rheumatism is--do you mean died?"

Suzanna flinched. "We say 'went away,'" she answered gently; "you think
then that someone you loved has just gone away for a little while, and
is waiting somewhere for you."

The man's gaze wandered up to the lovely, smiling face above the mantel
and stayed there a space before his eyes came back to Suzanna.

"And so," she finished, "because everything came together, rent and
insurance and shoes, and a coat, I had to wear these slippers." Suzanna
was quite cheerful again, only very eager that he should understand the
situation.

At this moment the timid little valet appeared in the doorway. "Anything
you wish, sir?" he began. "Are you quite comfortable?"

"You infernal idiot!" bawled the man in the chair. "Can anyone be
comfortable with rheumatism in his knee?"

The little man precipitately retired. "You're awful cross," Suzanna
commented. "What does the man mean asking if you're 'comfortable?'