was vexed that he had lost. It would have been great fun, and he had
the name of always winning when he set out to do so. But then, perhaps
it was just as well--Verrons was a good fellow as men went--he liked
him, and he was plain out and out fond of Opal just at present. It
would have been a dirty shame to play the trick behind his back. Still,
if Opal wanted to run away with him it was up to him to run of course.
Opal was rare sport and he couldn't stand the idea of Smart-Aleck
McMarter, or that conceited Percy Emerson getting there first. He
wondered which had won. It made his fury rise to think of either, and
he had promised the lady neither of them should. What was she thinking
of him by now that he had sent her no word of his delay? That was
inexcusable. He must attend to it at once.

He glanced around the pleasant room. Yes, there on the desk was a
telephone! Could he get to it? He sat up and painfully edged his way
over to the desk.

"Safely through another week,
God has brought us on our way--"

chimed the bells,

"Let us now a blessing seek,
Waiting in His courts to-day--"

But Laurie Shafton had never sung those words in his life and had no
idea what the bells were seeking to get across to him. He took down the
receiver and called for Long Distance.

"Oh day of rest and gladness!"