and she made a daring little moue at him as she readjusted her
black lace veil so that a heavy bit of its pattern covered her
mouth.

"What do you do that for? Move that darned flower, so I can see
you talk!"

She laughed then, and wrinkled her straight little nose until the
veil billowed mischievously.

"I wish you'd take that thing off," Hendricks said, irritatedly;
"it annoys me."

"And pray, sir, who are you, that I should shield you from
annoyance? My veil is a necessary part of my costume."

"Necessary nothing! Take it off, I tell you!"

"Merry Christmas!" and Eunice gave him such a scornful shrug of
her furred shoulders that Hendricks laughed out, in sheer
enjoyment of her audacity.

"Tell me about the Merediths, and I'll take off the offending
veil," she urged, looking at him very coaxingly.

"All right; off with it."

Slowly, and with careful deliberation, Eunice unpinned her veil,
took it off and folded it in a small, compact parcel. This she
put in her handbag, and then, with an adorable smile, said: