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Show I" ~It> 1lose ant> $tiller uwo ,, bear me company. Perhaps I 'II bring Dad, 1xr too. He'd like to have you pour his coffee." There was no mistaking the admiration in Allison's eyes and Rose turned hers away. He sat with his back to the dining-room door and she, across from him, faced it squarely. For the merest fraction of a second Isabel, in a pink silk negligee, stood in the doorway, then vanished, as noiselessly as she had come. Her eyes were full of mysterious meaning that Rose was powerless to translate. "I 'd enjoy it," Rose said quickly. "I love to pour the coffee and Aunt Francesca always lets me on the rare occasions when we breakfast together." If her colour was a little brighter, if her voice was in a higher key, if her eyes had changed their expression, Allison did not notice it. Yet, in the instant, she had attained a certain dual consciousness-there seemed to be two of her. One was the woman of the world, well-schooled in self-control, tactful, watchful, ready to smooth any awkwardness, and, at every point, to guard her guest. The other was Primitive Woman; questioning, curious, and watchful in the sense of rivalry. She put it resolutely aside to think about later, and was very glad that Allison did not know. She was greatly relieved when he went home, promising to return later for a few hours of work upon a difficult concerto. "We 'II do it "U:be wear '9 at tbe $prlnG" I I3 again," he said, laughing, as he went down the u:artnu• steps. "Ask Aunt Francesca to give me a meal ticket, to be used solely for breakfasts, will you?" Rose only smiled in answer, but waved her hand to him as he went out of the gate. She stood pensively in the hall for a moment or two after she had closed the door, and would have gone up to her own room had she not heard a step at the head of the stairs. Isabel was coming down, also fresh and tailor-made, with a white linen collar and a dashing crimson tie. Rose strolled into the library, took up a magazine, sat down, and pretended to read. "I 'm so sorry to be late to breakfast," remarked Isabel, following her. "But perhaps it's just as well, as I wasn't invited." "Nobody was invited," returned Rose, coolly. "I went out for an early walk, chanced to meet Mr. Kent, and he invited himself here to breakfast." "I didn't know you were in the habit of taking early walks." "I 'm trying to acquire the habit," answered Rose, with icy sweetness. "It won't be hard," Isabel said, maliciously, "if they're all equally pleasant." She slammed the door as she went out, shutting Rose in the library. For an instant Rose was angry, then her |