hair that had fallen forward.

"But you don't think it's Storri?" cried Richard dolorously.

"Oh, no!" returned Dorothy, shaking her head with wise decision, "I
don't think it's Count Storri. But of course I wouldn't tell mamma so;
she doesn't like to be contradicted. Still," and here Dorothy looked
quite wistful, "I wish I knew who did send them."

Before Richard could take up the delicate question of the roses and
their origin, there arrived the word of Senator Hanway that he be shown
into the study.

"Now that I'm a working journalist, Miss Harley," said Richard, "I shall
be obliged to see your uncle every day."

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed Dorothy, with a fine sympathy; "how hard they
drive you poor newspaper people!"

"Still, we go not without our rewards," returned Richard.

Then observing that Senator Hanway's messenger--who had not those
reasons for loitering which made slow the feet of Richard--was already
halfway down the hall, Richard took Dorothy's small hand in his, and,
before she knew her peril or might make an effort to avoid it,
rapturously kissed the fingers, not once, not twice, but five times. The
very fingers themselves burned with the scandal of it! Following this
deed of rapine, Richard went his vandal way; Dorothy's face turned a
twin red with the roses.