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 The next Monday's paper contained an account of Miss Priscilla Quarich's elopement with her Japanese butler. Samugi's history was given, however, and it was one partly to reconcile the gossips with the scandal of the affair. His noble family, his war record, his academic achievements, all received sensational description. Society exclaimed, shrugged its shoulders, and forgot the affair next week. Astro's bill was paid with a yellow porcelain lion of an ancient dynasty, one of the seven left in the world.

Valeska's birthday came that week. She was in the studio when an expressman entered with a big basket filled with parcels all addressed to her. She opened them first with glee, then with increasing anxiety on her face. When the last package had been unwrapped and the papers carefully put away, she spent some time sitting on the floor gazing at the thirteen several gifts. If there were tears in her eyes, Astro came too late to see them. He did not enter the studio, in fact, until after she had arranged the presents into three rows, in this way.

At the sound of his step in the outer hall, however, she swept the gifts together in a heap and jumped to her feet.