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 before you had danced some of the freshness out of it," said Mrs. Larry.

"Oh, I just had to come. You see" She stopped—and again the beautiful color flooded her face.

"Of course," said Mrs. Larry, as, sensing the need of greater privacy, she slipped her hand through Claire's arm and led her down to the guest room. "But first, let me catch up your hair a bit."

Mr. Larry, all unconscious that the spirit of romance had tripped into the apartment with the coral-tinted vision, buried himself in his paper. Safe on the other side of the guest room door, Mrs. Larry held the radiant girl a little closer.

"Claire, dear, what has come over you?"

"This," answered Claire in a voice that trembled with happiness. She held out her hand, and in the soft light from a silk-shaded electrolier Mrs. Larry caught the gleam of the diamond which had traveled to Kansas City and back.

"Is Jimmy here?" she asked.

"No, no. He sent it with a most wonderful