meant it--that he intended to propose to-day."

Swift anxiety came to the mother's face. For a while she kept
silence. And while Mona's conscious mind was occupied with thoughts
which Billie could not fathom, her subconscious mind was faithfully
taking in all that her roving eyes beheld.

The two Capellans were seated upon the terrace of a large, handsome
house, whose architecture Billie tentatively classified as
semi-Moorish. Mona next glanced into the grounds, telling Billie
that the house was set upon a knoll, high up on the ridge of a
tremendous range of mountains. Similar houses dotted what landscape
was visible through a mass of foliage. It was just the sort of
residence colony that Billie herself would have chosen.

Then the eyes came back to the mother, who was saying: "Perhaps, my
dear, you would rather that I told Mr. Fort of your engagement." She
watched the daughter as though expecting her to refuse the offer.

Which is just what the heart-specialist did, with a proud toss of
the head. "Thank you; but I cannot have him think that I lack the
nerve to tell him myself."

She excused herself and went into the house, passing through rooms
so rapidly that Billie learned little, save that the place fairly
swarmed with men in livery. Once in Mona's room, however, Billie
discovered that metallic furniture was the rule; that the windows
were without screens, [Footnote: The Capellans seem to have utterly
stamped out all forms of insect life except those directly
beneficial to man.] and that the bed was set down very close to the