not need me； but would be the whole show yourself eh？ That being true； don't show yourself a com… monplace nobody by deriding and denying what your brain is unable to comprehend。 Show yourself a somebody by seeing the limitations of your ability。 The world is full of little people who criticise and judge and laugh at and misunderstand the few real intelligences。 And very tedious interruptions of the scenery those little people are。 Don't be one of them。 。 。 。 Did you know my wife's father？〃
Tetlow startled。 〃Nothat is； yes；〃 he stammered。 〃That is； I met him a few times。〃
〃Often enough to find out that he was crazy？〃
〃Oh； yes。 He explained some of his ideas to me。 Yeshe was quite mad； poor fellow。〃
Norman gave way to a fit of silent laughter。 〃I can imagine；〃 he presently said； 〃what you'd have thought if Columbus or Alexander or Napoleon or Stevenson or even the chaps who doped out the telephone and the telegraphif they had talked to you before they arrived。 Or even after they arrived； if they had been explaining some still newer and bigger idea not yet accomplished。〃
〃You don't think Mr。 Hallowell was mad？〃
〃He was mad； assuming that you are the standard of sanity。 Otherwise； he was a great man。 There'll be statues erected and pages of the book of fame devoted to the men who carry out his ideas。〃
〃His death was certainly a great loss to his daughter；〃 said Tetlow in his heaviest； most bourgeois manner。
〃I said he was a great man；〃 observed Norman。 〃I didn't say he was a great father。 A great man is never a great father。 It takes a small man to be a great father。〃
〃At any rate； her having no parents or relatives doesn't matter； now that she has you；〃 said Tetlow； his manner at once forced and constrained。
〃Um；〃 muttered Norman。
Said Tetlow： 〃Perhaps you misunderstood why I I acted as I did about her； toward the last。〃
〃It was of no importance；〃 said Norman brusquely。 〃I wish to hear nothing about it。〃
〃But I must explain； Fred。 She piqued me by showing so plainly that she despised me。 I must admit the truth； though I've got as much vanity as the next man； and don't like to admit it。 She despised me； and it made me mad。〃
An expression of grim satire passed over Norman's face。 Said he： 〃She despised me； too。〃
〃Yes； she did；〃 said Tetlow。 〃And both of us were certainly greatly her superiorsin every substantial way。 It seemed to me mostmost〃
〃Most impertinent of her？〃 suggested Norman。
〃Precisely。 MOST impertinent。〃
〃Rather say； ignorant and small。 My dear Tetlow； let me tell you something。 Anybody； however insignificant； can be loved。 To be loved means nothing； except possibly a hallucination in the brain of the lover。 But to LOVEthat's another matter。 Only a great soul is capable of a great love。〃
〃That is true；〃 murmured Tetlow sentimentally； preening in a quiet； gentle way。
Said Norman sententiously： 〃YOU stopped loving。 It was _I_ that kept on。〃
Tetlow looked uncomfortable。 〃Yesyes；〃 he said。 〃But we were talking of herof her not appreciating the love she got。 And I was about to say〃 Earnestly 〃Fred； she's not to be blamed for her folly！ She's very； very youngand has all the weaknesses and vanities of youth〃
〃Here we are；〃 interrupted Norman。
The hansom had stopped in Forty…second Street before the deserted but still brilliantly lighted entrances to the great hotel。 Norman sprang out so lightly and surely that Tetlow wondered how it was possible for this to be the man who had been racketing and roistering day after day； night after night for nearly a week。 He helped the heavy and awkward Tetlow to descend； said：
〃You'll have to pay； Bill。 I've got less than a dollar left。 And I touched Gaskill for a hundred and fifty to…night。 You can imagine how drunk he was； to let me have it。 How they've been shying off from ME these last few months！〃
〃And you want GALLOWAY to come to YOU；〃 thrust Tetlow； as he counted out the money。
〃Don't go back and chew on that；〃 laughed Norman。 〃It's settled。〃 He took the money； gave it to the driver。 〃Thanks；〃 he said to Tetlow。 〃I'll pay you to…morrowthat is； later to…daywhen you send me another check。〃
〃Why should you pay for my cab？〃 rejoined Tetlow。
〃Because it's easier for me to make money than it is for you；〃 replied Norman。 〃If you were in my positionthe position I've been in for monthswould anybody on earth give you three thousand dollars a month？〃
Tetlow looked sour。 His good nature was rubbing thin in spots。
〃Don't lose your temper；〃 laughed Norman。 〃I'm pounding away at you about my superiority； partly because I've been drinking； but chiefly for your own goodso that you'll realize I'm right and not mess things with Galloway。〃
They went up to Norman's suite。 Norman tried to unlock the door； found it already unlocked。 He turned the knob； threw the door wide for Tetlow to enter first。 Then； over Tetlow's shoulder he saw on the marble… topped center table Dorothy's hat and jacket； the one she had worn away； the only one she had。 He stared at them； then at Tetlow。 A confused look in the fat； slow face made him say sharply：
〃What does this mean； Tetlow？〃
〃Not so loud； Fred；〃 said Tetlow； closing the door into the public hall。 〃She's in the bedroomprobably asleep。 She's been here since yesterday。〃
〃You brought her back？〃 demanded Norman。
〃She wanted to come。 I simply〃
Norman made a silencing gesture。 Tetlow's faltering voice stopped short。 Norman stood near the table； his hands deep in his trousers' pockets； his gaze fixed upon the hat and jacket。 When Tetlow's agitation could bear the uncertainties of that silence no longer； he went on：
〃Fred； you mustn't forget how young and inexperienced she is。 She's been foolish； but nothing more。 She's as pure as when she came into the world。 And it's the truth that she wanted to come back。 I saw it as soon as I began to talk with her。〃
〃What are you chattering about？〃 said Norman fiercely。 〃Why did you meddle in my affairs？ Why did you bring her back？〃
〃I knew she needed you；〃 pleaded Tetlow。 〃Then； tooI was afraid I knew how you acted before； and I thought you'd not get your gait again until you had her。〃
Norman gave a short sardonic laugh。 〃If you'd only stop trying to understand me！〃 he said。
Tetlow was utterly confused。 〃But； Fred； you don't realizenot all；〃 he cried imploringly。 〃She discoveredshe thinks； I believethat issheshe that probablythat in a few months you'll be something more than a husbandand she something more than a wifethat youthatyou and she will be a father and a mother。〃
Tetlow's meaning slowly dawned on Norman。 He seated himself in his favorite attitude； legs sprawled； fingers interlaced behind his head。
〃Wasn't I right to bring her backto tell her she needn't fear to come？〃 pleaded Tetlow。
Norman made no reply。 After a brief silence he said： 〃Well； good night； old man。 Come round to my office any time after ten。〃 He rose and gave Tetlow his hand。 〃And arrange for Galloway whenever you like。 Good night。〃
Tetlow hesitated。 〃Fredyou'll not be harsh to her？〃 he said。
Norman smileda satirical smile； yet exquisitely gentle。 〃If you ONLY wouldn't try to understand me； Bill；〃 he said。
When he was alone he sat lost in thought。 At last he rang for a bell boy。 And when the boy came； he said： 〃That door there〃indicating one in the opposite wall of the sitting room〃what does it lead into？〃
〃Another bedroom； sir。〃
〃Unlock it； and tell them at the office I wish that room added to my suite。〃
As soon as the additional bedroom was at his dis… posal； he went in and began to undress。 When he had taken off coat and waistcoat he paused to telephone to the office a call for eight o'clock。 As he finished and hung up the receiver； a sound from the direction of the sitting room made him glance in there。 On the threshold of the other bedroom stood his wife。 She was in her nightgown； her hair； done in a single thick braid； hung down across her bosom。 There was in the room and upon her childish loveliness the strange commingling of lights and shadows that falls when the electricity is still on and the early morning light is pushing in at the windows。 They looked at each other in silence for some time。 If she was frightened or in the least embarrassed she did not show it。 She simply looked at him； while ever so slowly a smile dawned a gleam in the eyes； a flutter round the lips； growing merrier and merrier。 He did not smile。 He continued to regard her gravely。
〃I heard you and Mr。 Tetlow come in；〃 she said。 〃Thenyou talked so longI fell asleep again。 I only this minute awakened。〃
〃Well； now you can go to sleep again；〃 said he。
〃But I'm not a bit sleepy。 What are you doing in that room ？〃
She advanced toward his door。 He stood aside。 She peeped in。 She was so close to him that her nightgown brushed the bosom of his shirt。 〃Another bedroom！〃 she exclaimed。 〃Just like ours。〃
〃I didn't wish to disturb you；〃 said he； calm and grave。
〃But you wouldn't have been disturbing me；〃 protested she； leaning against the door frame； less than two feet away and directly facing him。
〃I'll stay on here；〃 said he。
She gazed at him with great puzzled eyes。 〃Aren't you glad I'm back？〃 she asked。
〃Certainly；〃 said he with a polite smile。 〃But I must get some sleep。〃 And he moved away。
〃You must let me tell you how I happened to go and why I came〃
〃Please；〃 he interrupted； looking at her with a piercing though not in the least unfriendly expression that made her grow suddenly pale and thoughtful。 〃I do not wish to hear about itnot nownot ever。 Tetlow told me all that it's necessary for me to know。 You have come to stay； I assume？〃
〃Yesif〃her lip quivered〃if you'll let me。〃
〃There can be no question of that；〃 said he with the same polite gravity he had maintained throughout。
〃You want me to leave you alone？〃
〃Please。 I need sleep badlyand I've only three hours。〃
〃You areangry with me？〃
He looked placidly into her lovely； swimming eyes。 〃Not in the least。〃
〃But how can you help being？ I acted dreadfully。〃
He smiled gently。 〃But you are backand the incident is closed。〃
She looked down at the carpet； he