wasn't a star, but I was featured and was making an awful hit. I
went right to the house, though, and stayed two months--till Billy
died. Then I went back to work; but I hated it. Well, along toward
the last they'd got so friendly that I was awful lonesome. It wasn't
long till they got lonesome too. They're old, you know; and Billy
was all they had. So they came after me and I went with them; and
they adopted me and we all love each other to death. Constance's my
cousin now--and she stands it without batting an eyelash. She's
about the cream of the earth, Johnny!"

He drew in his breath sharply.

"You're a lucky kid!" he told her.

There was something in the intensity of his tone which made her look
up at him, startled.

"Now don't you fall in love with her, Johnny!" she begged.

"Why not?" he demanded. "I never tried it; but I bet I can do it."

"That's the trouble," she expostulated; "it's too easy. You can fall
in all right, but how will you get out?"

"I don't want out," he assured her. "I play marbles for keeps."

"All right then; take to pickles and perfume. Look here, Johnny; if
none of her own set can ring her with an orange wreath what can an
outsider do?"