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294 “I shall go on the 11:50, if you’ll play with me until then.”

He smiled at her affectation.

“Suppose we try another kind of crowd to-night, and dine at the Lafayette.”

“Delighted! I’ve never been there.”

“It’s jolly. You’ll like it, I think.”

“Where is it?”

“Way downtown—University Place. What shall we do between now and dinner-time?”

“Let’s walk down.”

“Oh, that’s a long walk.”

“But I love to walk, unless it is too much for you.”

“Sheer impudence!”

The walk was one never to be forgotten by Strong. To have Bambi all to himself, to look forward to hours of such bliss, to have her swinging along beside him, laughing and chattering, now and again laying her hand on his arm in confident friendliness—it was intoxicating.

By sheer force of will he kept his hand on the throttle of his emotions. One look, one false move, would ruin it all. He knew, without any doubts that she did not love him. He even told himself she loved Jocelyn. He knew that he must make