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He thought quickly His own life or happiness did not count Nothing counted now but Barbara He had seen the lovelight in her eyes He thanked God that he had realized what it all would have meant, before he let her see that he had seen it

"I've been back several months," he said presently, in answer to her question; "but I got sense enough to stay where I belong Gee! Wouldn't I look great cohlifes?"

Billy slapped his thigh resoundingly and laughed in stentorian tones that caused the eyebrows of the sensitive Smith on the floor above to elevate in shocked horror

"Den dere was de mills I couldn't break away from me work, could I, to chase a bunch of skirts?"

Barbara felt a qualain into the old dialect that she had all but eradicated during those days upon distant "Manhattan Island"

"I wouldn't o' come up atal," he went on, "if I hadn't o' read in de poiper how youse an' Mallory had busted I t'ought I'd breeze in an' see wot de trouble was"

His eyes had been averted,suddenly upon her

"He's on de square, ain't he?" he demanded

"Yes," said Barbara She was not quite sure whether to feel offended, or not But the memory of Billy's antecedents came to his rescue Of course he didn't know that it was such terribly bad forht

"Well, then," continued the uy fer youse Youse loved hied to hiation

Barbara nodded affirmatively

"You see, Billy," she started, "I have always known Mr Mallory, and always thought that I loved hiht in Billy's eyes--no encouragement for the words that were on her lips She halted laed after we reached New York We all thought you dead," she concluded simply

"Do you think as much of hinoring her reference to himself and all that it implied

Barbara nodded

"What is at the bottom of this row?" persisted Billy He had fallen back into the decent pronunciation that Barbara had taught hiotten that he was playing a part Then he recollected