I <'l'|||>tl i ti'JMt^nU<iii^'iU>i\J^aiiitM^dJtJ,ii.iliy!J ,«• 
 
 
 
 
 
 IN A 
 
 HURRY 
 
 BURGESS 
 
CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 Prof. ,hrin E. Rejma 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PS 3503.U75L8 
 
 Love in a hurn 
 
 3 1924 022 342 848 
 
The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022342848 
 
Then she took the tray 
 
 wmmmmm 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 By 
 
 GELETT BURGESS 
 
 Author of 
 The White Cat, The Heart Line, Vivette, etc. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 R. M. BRINKERHOFF 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS 
 
 THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS 
 
Copyright 1913 
 By THE Illustrated Sunday Magazine 
 
 Copyright 1913 
 By Gelett Burgess 
 
 Dramatic Rights Reserved by the Author 
 
TO E. L. 
 
 THIS SCHERZO VARIATION OF 
 
 AN OLD THEME 
 
 G. B. 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 PART ONE 
 
 A T nine o'clock in the morning, punctual 
 ■^ *■ to the second, Flodie Fisher unlocked the 
 door marked "Hall Bonistelle, Artist-Photo- 
 grapher," and walked into the office. She 
 switched off her skimpy shabby coat, gave 
 a jerk at her absurd hat, — a thing of tulle 
 and poppies — and threw them both on a nail 
 in the closet. Up went the window shade 
 and up the roll top of her desk. Then 
 Flodie walked to the door of the studio and 
 looked in. 
 
 The large light room was vacant. Flodie 
 shook her head in sorrowful disappointment 
 at her employer's tardiness, and shrugged 
 her shoulders. "Oh, dear!" she muttered 
 impatiently, "just what I expected." Then, 
 with a shake of her head as one who says 
 "It must be done !" she walked in and listened 
 outside Hall Bonistelle's bedroom door. For 
 a moment she stood poised, awkwardly grace- 
 1 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ful — or rather gracefully awkward, perhaps, 
 so quaint, so original was her attitude. 
 Twenty-three? Nonsense! Flodie, at that 
 minute seemed scarce seventeen! She knocked 
 finally with firmness. The summons was 
 peremptory, yet it had the secret indulgence 
 of a doting mother for her only child. The 
 only answer was a not unmusical barytone 
 growl. 
 
 "Goodness! Kren't you up yet, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle?" Flodie called through the door. 
 "Why, it's nearly half past nine!" 
 
 Another growl from within. 
 
 She banged on the door again. This time 
 she really meant it. "Mr. Bonistelle! You 
 must get up immediately — come on now!" 
 
 A wait — ^then the unwilling reply, "All 
 right!" 
 
 Flodie walked back to the office, frowning, 
 and sat down at her desk. A leaf from the 
 calendar pad was ripped off, the desk-top 
 was dusted with a cloth; Flodie took the 
 engagement book from a lower drawer, then 
 she stopped suddenly. The elevator door had 
 banged. 
 
 2 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Almost immediately there entered to her 
 the sad young janitor, Mr. Alfred Smallish. 
 He gave a pathetic hopeless look at Flodie 
 and hung at anchor in the doorway, meekly. 
 
 "Morning, Miss Fisher," he said, and 
 grinned. 
 
 Flodie gave a glance at him, casually, then 
 gazed with more interest. Pale blue eyes, a 
 large Roman nose, wide-open ears and a 
 quivering mouth had Alfred. His chin was 
 that of a lizard, sloping back weakly to a 
 prominent Adam's apple. 
 
 Then, as the red hand of Mr. Smallish 
 stole guiltily to his upper lip, she exclaimed, 
 "Why for the land's sake! what's happened 
 to you, Alfred? Well, I never! Had an 
 accident? Where in the world did you lose 
 your mustache?" 
 
 A look of pain showed on his anxious 
 sheepish face. "Why, Miss Fisher," he 
 stammered, "I thought you didn't like mus- 
 taches! Didn't you say yesterday afternoon 
 that every man ought to be smooth-shaved? 
 Oh, you know I'd do anything to please you. 
 Miss Fisher! Knd you said—" 
 3 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie's lip curled in disdain. "As if / 
 cared how you looked. I've got something 
 better to do than inspect janitors, thank 
 you!" Flodie, however, though she scorned 
 this humble faithful adorer, was willing to 
 keep him dangling, and did inspect him 
 again; wherefore she added casually: "But 
 if I had to serve on the jury, I must say 
 it rather improves you, Alfred." 
 
 Mr. Smallish glowed under the tribute, 
 looking if possible more silly and less sad. 
 His eyes feasted on her. "D'you really think 
 so. Miss Fisher?" 
 
 Having raised him to the skies, Flodie, of 
 course, found it necessary to abase him. 
 
 "I think you're just that much cleaner, 
 anjrway !" 
 
 She fumbled over the photographs on the 
 table behind her. 
 
 "Alfred," she said in the voice of a 
 school-ma'am, "did you see a picture of me 
 I had here on the table the other day?" 
 
 He turned fire-red. "You — ^you didn't 
 want that picture, did you, Miss Fisher?" 
 
 4 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 His eyes implored her wildly, vainly. "Well, 
 I'lt bring it back, if you say so; only, I 
 thought, maybe " 
 
 "Well, Alfred Smallish! I like that!" 
 Flodie ejaculated. "Why you great, big, 
 bold man, you! Where did you ever get the 
 nerve to go into kidnaping, I'd like to 
 know! The idea! I never heard of such 
 imperence." 
 
 "Oh, Miss Fisher, — ^you see, well, I didn't 
 quite dare to ask you, and — well, you know, 
 I thought — it's just grand of you, Miss 
 Fisher! — I'd think the world of it, and — 
 couldn't you possibly " 
 
 "That's enough, Alfred! I don't dare 
 to discuss it. You just walk that picture 
 back immediately!" Flodie's voice was sharp, 
 but she was not so unaffected by the com- 
 pliment as she seemed. Even a poor janitor 
 . . . well, Flodie couldn't help pitying him. 
 She, too, knew what it was to suffer an un- 
 requited passion. She weakened. "Perhaps, 
 I'll give you one, sometime. I'll see." 
 
 Mr. Smallish beamed with pleasure, but 
 5 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 he had a talent for blunders. "Some folks 
 mightn't think you was pretty, Miss Fisher, 
 but I think " 
 
 "Oh, indeed!" she exclaimed. "'The bride, 
 while not being exactly beautiful, yet had a 
 distinguished manner, and carried a huge 
 bunch of tiger lilies!' Well, never mind 
 what you think; you heard what I said about 
 that photograph, and you bring it right back! 
 And," she continued with her own droll 
 accent, "if you don't understand, I'll sing 
 it for you!" 
 
 "Yes'm!" Mr. Smallish hung his head. 
 
 Flodie whipped out her watch. "Gracious 
 sakes!" she cried, "where's Mr. Bonistelle's 
 eggs?" 
 
 "I'll go down and see if they're ready. 
 Miss Fisher." He turned heavily. 
 
 "Well, hurry up, then! If his breakfast 
 isn't here when he comes, he's liable to eat 
 the table-cloth and go right back to bed. 
 Quick, now!" 
 
 "Yes'm!" Mr. Smallish left in dejection. 
 
 Flodie walked swiftly into the studio and 
 .6 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 knocked again at her employer's door. "Mr. 
 Bonistelle! Are you ready for breakfast?" 
 she called. Floddie's tone had changed; 
 decided as it was, it had softened; it was 
 almost musical. Her face had changed, also. 
 She stood as if awaiting a vision. 
 
 Footsteps were heard in Hall's bedroom. 
 Now, there are two kinds of men: those who 
 are shocked even unto mortification by being 
 discovered in the act of shaving, and those 
 who take a malicious delight in their out- 
 rageous condition. Hall Bonistelle opened 
 the door and protruded his belathered face 
 shamelessly, grinning. 
 
 "Gracious ! go and get dressed !" 
 
 Flodie was properly shocked. She turned 
 away her eyes. 
 
 "That's just what I was doing, when so 
 rudely interrupted. Miss Fisher." His tone 
 was the patronizing-jocose, and it well became 
 the happy-go-lucky, good-natured artist- 
 photographer. Hall was young — or more 
 properly, "youngish," as Flodie would say. 
 Most women thought him handsome, some 
 7 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 thought him clever, and a few, including 
 Flodie, good. Even disheveled as he was at 
 present, scandalously tousled and bedaubed 
 with soap-suds, his smile was disarming. He 
 was of that grace that can not be unpictur- 
 esque in the most horrid of costumes — collar- 
 less shirt-sleeves, — yes, even with a pair of 
 suspenders dangling from two buttons on the 
 back of his trousers. 
 
 Flodie's adoration of him, though of the 
 maternal order, did not lessen her firmness. 
 "Rudely! well, I like that! Why, you ought 
 to have been ready half an hour ago!" she 
 said, pushing him into his room fond- 
 ly. "You're a lackadaisical lallygag, that's 
 what you are! Do you realize how much 
 you've got to do to-day, Mr. Bonistelle?" 
 
 "Nothing to do but work," he chanted 
 gaily. 
 
 "You have an appointment at ten o'clock 
 ■ — and you know how you always poke over 
 that old breakfast !" 
 
 "Speaking of which, wherefore not here?" 
 He joyously chucked her under the chin. 
 8 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie loved it but dared not show. "It'll 
 be here by the time you're fit to be 
 seen. You wash that face of yours and 
 hurry up with it, you big baby, you! I've 
 got too much to do myself to talk to you!" 
 
 "All right, oh, fair assistant, I must obey!" 
 Hall disappeared and Flodie marched back 
 to the office. 
 
 Opening the letter-box on the door, she 
 took out a dozen or so envelopes and sat 
 down with them at the desk, proceeding to 
 sort them over, placing them in two piles. 
 One set she inspected critically; they were all 
 in feminine handwriting. Flodie sniffed at 
 a few, wrinkled up her nose at the perfumes, 
 and then rather unwillingly laid them aside. 
 Then she turned to the other pile — business 
 letters, advertisements, bills. She tore them 
 briskly open, each received a keen shrewd 
 look, — ^they were filed or thrown away. 
 
 Little and whimsical and odd, Flodie's 
 
 appearance had something of the humor o£ 
 
 a puppy, the sad wisdom of a monkey. The 
 
 combination made her face pathetic. Crinkly 
 
 9 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 colorless hair and hazel eyes had Flodie. Her 
 fine regular teeth were her best asset and 
 when she smiled, her main relief from plain- 
 ness. From her costume, which was careless, 
 to her gestures, which were queer, Flodie 
 Fisher was an original. She had charm and 
 magnetism. Whether she made one laugh or 
 weep, eccentric little Flodie was distinctly 
 lovable. 
 
 Mr. Smallish now reappeared with a 
 loaded breakfast tray. 
 
 "Put him on that chair in the studio," 
 Flodie commanded; and preceding Alfred, 
 she deftly arranged the cloth and dishes upon 
 a table. Then she took the tray. 
 
 "Have those giddy green garlands come 
 for to-night?" she asked. 
 
 "Why, yes, they're out in the hall. Miss 
 Fisher. Will I brings 'em in?" 
 
 Flodie nodded and went on with her work 
 while Mr. Smallish untied the evergreens and 
 stretched them along the office floor. "No, 
 not here, Alfred," she said; "you'd better be 
 putting them up in the reception-room, first. 
 We'll decorate the studio this afternoon." 
 10 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "What time does the party begin. Miss 
 Fisher?" 
 
 "One minute past ten." 
 
 "Will there be many here, Miss Fisher?" 
 
 " 'A man on being asked how old he was, 
 replied that if half his son's age were added 
 to three-quarters' — oh, I don't know, Alfred, 
 about twenty, I suppose: men, ladies and 
 women. Especially women ! They don't usual- 
 ly refuse Mr. Bonistelle's studio invita- 
 tions, I notice! There'll be too many any- 
 way. There won't be half of 'em come till 
 the theaters are over, though. We've invited 
 a squad of actresses." 
 
 Alfred stopped, his arms loaded with gar- 
 lands. "What, real ones?" 
 
 "No, only half-ripe, I guess. Not nearly 
 so real as the other women who'll be here, 
 anyway. There are more good actresses off 
 the stage than on, Alfred! It'll be good as 
 a play for me!" 
 
 Alfred gazed longingly from the thresh- 
 old, his eyes afire. "Say, Miss Fisher, are 
 you going to be dressed up like you was the 
 last time?" 
 
 11 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 She dropped a fantastic courtesy. "Pre- 
 cisely the same, Alfred; our good old friend 
 Crepe de Chine." She struck an attitude 
 and plunged into quotation, as was her wont. 
 " 'Miss F. Fisher wore one of the smartest 
 costumes of the evening, a hair-cloth hobble- 
 gobble gown, parted on one side with a 
 bow-legged effect, richly adorned with mos- 
 quito netting and clam-shells, the gift of her 
 mother, Mrs. Obadiah Fisher, of New Lon- 
 don, on her sixteenth birthday.' " Irony was 
 chased from her face by stern command. 
 "Now you gallop along with those evergreens 
 before your eyes drop out, Mr. Smallish!" 
 
 Alfred left, with the love light unextin- 
 guished. 
 
 Flodie went into the studio and pounded 
 at the chamber door again. "Mr. Bonistelle! 
 Hurry up! Your breakfast is awfully impa- 
 tient. Come along ! That old coffee is swear- 
 ing already!" 
 
 Hall opened the door, grinning. "And I 
 suppose those eggs are feeling rotten about 
 it," he offered jauntily. 
 12 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie giggled delightedly and hovered 
 over the table, giving it a few final touches. 
 
 Hall Bonistelle was attired in a purple 
 dressing-gown, too evidently the gift of a lov- 
 ing tasteless female. It was quilted, of course, 
 in accordance with the eternal feminine ideal 
 of masculine adornment. Hall showed him- 
 self, now, as really handsome, even to that 
 cleft chin which women seem so to fancy, 
 and most right-minded men to loathe. He had 
 hair enough to satisfy even Flodie, whose own 
 was a bit sparse. On his face was the touch 
 of humor, carelessly joyous, rather than 
 intellectual, and with his "artistic" tempera- 
 ment, and a certain subtle "smothered" 
 atmosphere — again the word is Flodie's — 
 an air, that is, of sentiment and intensity 
 partly natural and partly conscious, it was 
 easy enough to account for his popularity 
 with women. The effect of this popularity 
 showed quite as much in Hall himself as in 
 his admirers. It gave him a spoiled air that 
 was not offensive, and enabled him to do much 
 forbidden to other men. Always excepting 
 13 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 poor Flodie, who hugged a precious secret 
 to her breast, women, it might be added, liked 
 rather than loved him. The obvious proof 
 might lie in the fact that, at twenty-seven, 
 Hall had not yet been entangled in a serious 
 affair of the heart, were it not that his single 
 state were perhaps even better accounted for 
 by the esteem in which he held his own 
 knowledge of womankind. This rather cyn- 
 ical sort of sagacity, fed by continual observ- 
 ance of the madness of the fair sex (so it 
 appeared to him — he was a photographer, 
 remember) was too superficially bright to en- 
 able him to accomplish the overt act of fall- 
 ing in love. He himself considered that he 
 knew too much about women to be seduced 
 from his amusing occupation of merely study- 
 ing them. 
 
 As to that, if one had asked Flodie, she 
 would have smiled and changed the subject. 
 Least of all perhaps, if the truth were told, 
 did he know the fond adorer who had vol- 
 untarily made herself his slave. He saw 
 and took advantage of her cleverness and 
 14 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 zeal; her attractive oddity refreshed him, but 
 to her deep seriousness and the reserves of 
 her temperament he was totally blind. 
 
 Flodie sat watching his long slender hands 
 engaged gracefully with fork and spoon. It 
 was her delight in this playful pantomime 
 that gave him, every morning, a relish for- 
 his breakfast. He posed with humor, affect- 
 ing the regal manner, toying and gesturing 
 to the tune of Flodie's amused chuckles, flirt- 
 ing with his food. 
 
 But to-day Flodie was oppressed with care ; 
 much as she loved to watch him, her con- 
 science made her too uncomfortable. Reluct- 
 antly she withdrew her eager eyes. 
 
 "Well," she sighed, "now for business!" 
 And she opened her book. 
 
 "Don't spoil my breakfast with vulgar com- 
 merce," he said, reaching delicately for the 
 butter. 
 
 "That old breakfast of yours is an awful 
 nuisance!" she protested. 
 
 "That's an insult to this grapefruit," he 
 declared, gesturing with his spoon. "Flodie, 
 15 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 how would you like to be insulted while you 
 were being eaten alive?" 
 
 She enjoyed it hugely but would not be 
 dissuaded. "Oh, well, if you compare me to 
 a grapefruit," she said, with her whimsical 
 smile. 
 
 He tasted the fruit, then inspected it — and 
 her. "Of course, you are sweeter, Flodie — 
 and you haven't nearly so thick a skin " 
 
 "You talk as if I had! Mercy, by the 
 way you tease me, I should think I was as 
 tough as a cocoanut." 
 
 "Filled with the milk of human kindness?" 
 he asked. 
 
 "No, filled with dates!" She read aloud 
 from the book. "At ten o'clock Mrs. Rena 
 Royalton — " She looked up. "And you 
 won't be half ready! I'll have to entertain 
 her-^and you know how I hate that woman !" 
 
 "Can you name one woman, Flodie Fisher, 
 whom you do not hate?" 
 
 "No, I can't. They're all cats. Cats and 
 rats and hens and snakes and parrots! But 
 that's no reason for keeping them waiting." 
 16 
 
Her delight gave him a rehsh for his breakfast 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie ran her finger down the page. "Mrs. 
 Titherington — oh, she canceled that engage- 
 ment — let's see — ten-thirty — Miss Dallys. Oh, 
 no, I forgot! You took her yesterday. By 
 the way, you didn't develop those negatives, 
 did you?" 
 
 "Hang it all, no! I forgot it." Hall 
 grumbled over his egg. 
 
 "Of course you forgot; you forget every- 
 thing!" Flodie shook her pencil at him and 
 then slammed the book shut. 
 
 "Except you, Flodie!" 
 
 "Oh, shut up! Well, you've simply got 
 to do them right away!" 
 
 "She's certainly a fine girl," Hall mur- 
 mered dreamily, lighting a cigarette and 
 watching his assistant amusedly. 
 
 "Who is?" 
 
 "Why, Carolyn!" 
 
 "Carolyn?" Flodie fairly spit it out. 
 "Since how long?" 
 
 "Ever since I neglected to pay my dinner 
 call on her, Flodie. I had to do something 
 to soothe her ruffled feelings, — so I began to 
 17 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 call her Carolyn. What's the inevitable re- 
 sult? She's invited me for next Wednesday 
 again. People always invite you again if you 
 are rude enough, Flodie." 
 
 "You must have been pretty rude to Mrs. 
 Royalton, then, by the way she runs after 
 you! Why, she fairly clucks like a hen!" 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Royalton! Ah, there I have an- 
 other method! She's one of those women 
 you can't possibly insult." Hall smiled with 
 superiority. "Rena's got to the age, you 
 know, when she prefers to be flattered." 
 
 "Don't all women like it?" Flodie de- 
 manded. 
 
 "Do you?" 
 
 "No!" 
 
 "See? You're too young, Flodie. You 
 want compliments." Hall was triumphant. "It 
 depends upon how you do it, you know. Rena 
 wants it laid on thick. A woman doesn't 
 demand subtlety, Flodie, after she gets to 
 be thirty-five." 
 
 "Thirty- five! Mrs. Royalton is thirty- 
 eight, if she's a day!" 
 18 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Now, pray, exactly, how do you know 
 that?" 
 
 Flodie assumed the airs of a sibyl. "Well, 
 — ^the other day she told me she was only 
 thirty-three. Now, I've noticed that when 
 a woman wants to lie about her age, she in- 
 evitably uses that word 'only.' That 'only' 
 means five years more. If she were really 
 thirty-three, she would say, 'Oh, dear, think 
 of it ! I'm thirty-three years old !' " 
 
 "Bravo, Flodie! Very astute. By the 
 way, how old are you, Flodie? I forget." 
 
 "Me? Why, I'm only twenty-one!" 
 
 Hall laughed. "Plus five, makes twenty- 
 six." 
 
 "I'm not!" she protested — ^but it was no 
 use. He laughed at her till she flushed red 
 and sought refuge in a bvindle of bills. 
 "There's a 'Please Remit' from the Photo- 
 Supply Company," she announced, looking 
 up. "What shall I do?" 
 
 "Oh, answer 'Necessity forbids !' " Hall 
 shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 "Why, Mr. Bonistelle, don't you realize 
 19 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 that we've simply got to pay that bill pretty 
 soon, or they won't send us any more stuff? 
 Oh, it's all very well for you to sit there in 
 a red silk dressing-gown and laugh and make 
 aristocratic jokes! But I have to take all 
 the kicks, and stand off the collectors! Don't 
 you wink at me! I know how fascinating 
 you are! But I'm worried. Oh, yes, Mr. 
 Hall Bonistelle can pose around like a maga- 
 zine hero and tell wealthy women how ex- 
 quis-ite-ly beau-ti-ful they are — but who has 
 to see that the six-by-nine plates are ready, 
 and the brown mounts ordered? Answer: 
 Flodie Fisher!" 
 
 Hall applauded gracefully. "Say, Flodie, 
 you've got your war boots on to-day, haven't 
 you! What's the particular matter?" 
 
 "The matter!" Flodie looked down on 
 him as from a mountain. "Where's the rent 
 coming from, I'd like to know? Out of your 
 cigarette smoke? Yes, you can smile and 
 twist that silly mustache all you want, but 
 that won't pay for hypo! Do you imagine 
 we can run this business on epigrams and 
 20 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 funny gestures? No, sir! Mr. Bonistelle," 
 — Flodie shook his shoulder, — "you've simply 
 got to wake up and make a whole load of 
 money, quick!" 
 
 He rose and yawned artistically. "Lord, 
 I know it! Think of a Bonistelle having to 
 work for his living! Isn't that grotesque? 
 Why, for all I know, I may be a millionaire 
 this very minute. Fancy, Flodie — a million- 
 aire!" 
 
 "Say," — Flodie grew serious. "When are 
 they ever going to find out about that old 
 will, anyway?" 
 
 "I wish to heaven I knew! If John B. 
 Bonistelle had been any one's else uncle, he 
 would have filed his will with his attorneys, 
 and his nephew would be driving a sixty 
 horse-power car by this time. But being 
 mine, of course he has to hide the confounded 
 document where it won't be found till the 
 estate is settled." 
 
 "Isn't there any chance?" 
 
 "Lord, I don't know! I've been on pins 
 and needles ever since he died." 
 21 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Well, of course he'll leave you something. 
 You'll get a booby consolation prize, anyway. 
 He can't cut you out entirely!" 
 
 Hall laughed jeeringly. "Can't he! You 
 don't know Uncle John! He was the most 
 unmitigated bore that ever breathed. Talk 
 about cranks! He never did approve of me, 
 — too 'artistic' And I was fool enough to 
 try to be independent. Why, if I had just 
 gone into his office and added up columns of 
 figures I'd be a millionaire to-day. Or even 
 if I had married, and named my first infant 
 John Beasley he would have left me every- 
 thing he had. But no, I had to be pig-headed 
 and have my own way. Result, I have to take 
 photographs for a living. Why, Flodie, he's 
 just as likely to have left me a dime with 
 a hole in it, and let it go at thatT 
 
 Flodie sighed in sympathy, and rose. 
 "Well, those bills must be paid in any case! 
 And there's just seventy-seven cents in the 
 cash box!" 
 
 "Good lord, is it as bad as that? Well, 
 we'll have to collect a few bills in a hurry." 
 Hall appeared to dismiss the subject. 
 22 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 But Flodie was not to be dismissed. Well 
 she knew his procrastination. "They're all 
 collected, Mr. Bonistelle!" she protested; 
 "every last one! You can trust me to attend 
 to that! And I've had to sit up and beg like 
 a French poodle, too! After you insisted on 
 having your old bedroom decorated, I've 
 simply had to dun everybody!" 
 
 Hall, walking back and forth, seemed not 
 to be listening, but suddenly he turned to 
 his assistant with a queer expression. He 
 walked up to her and put his hand on her 
 shoulder. 
 
 "See here, Flodie, have you taken out your 
 salary regularly every week? Now, don't 
 you try to fib!" 
 
 Flodie looked down at the floor. "Oh, 
 well, my little pink salary doesn't matter in 
 the least." 
 
 He gave her shoulder a tug. "How long 
 since you have been paid, Flodie? Answer 
 me!" 
 
 Flodie tried to pull away but it was too 
 delicious. "Oh, I don't know," she mumbled. 
 "Not long. Two or three weeks, perhaps. 
 23 
 
tOVE IN A" HURRY' 
 
 Thafs all right." Now it was she who 
 caught hold of his arm. "But I wanted to 
 tell you something, Mr. Bonistelle — ^if you 
 wouldn't mind — if you just let me " 
 
 "What?" he demanded suspiciously. 
 
 "Oh, only — if you'd be willing — really I'd 
 like to, you know^ — ^you know I've saved up 
 a little money, Mr. Bonistelle — and, well, it 
 might help you temporarily — till you 
 could " 
 
 Hall threatened her with savage playful- 
 ness. "Flodie Fisher," he said determin- 
 edly, "if you ever dare to mention such a 
 thing to me again, I'11-^-I'll discharge you!" 
 He took a turn up and down the room as she 
 waited, watching him. "By jove, it does look 
 as if I'd have to go to work!" Then he 
 turned to her gloomily. "Well, anything 
 else for this afternoon?" 
 
 "No," said Flodie, "but you have to develop 
 and print, you know. There's lots of work 
 for you in the dark room. And then, we've 
 got to get ready for that expensive old 
 party." 
 
 24 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "The devil! Good lord, is that to-night?" 
 
 "Why, of course it is! You know per- 
 fectly well it is! The idea!" 
 
 Hall scratched his head. "Heavens, I'd 
 forgotten all about it." 
 
 "Of course you have, but / haven't; I've 
 attended to everything: music, caterer — and 
 decorations — furious old nonsense it was too. 
 I don't see how you can afford it, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle. Really I don't! It'll cost an awful 
 lot; I don't approve of it at all, and I told 
 you so when I sent out those pernicious 
 old invitations." Flodie was very stern. 
 
 "It's business, Flodie — keeps the women 
 curious. Makes 'em talk! Oh, well," Hall 
 tossed it off his mind. "We'll get along 
 somehow. Well, run along, Flo, now; I 
 supposd'T've got to get ready to preside at 
 this altar of vanity. Good lord! how I 
 dread it! Flo, I honestly believe a photog- 
 rapher knows more of the actual truth about 
 women than a doctor or a priest!" 
 
 Flodie gave him an indulgent smile. "Mr. 
 Bonistelle, I want to tell you something. All 
 25 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 three of them put together know mighty 
 little!" So saying, she gave him a prim 
 courtesy and retired to the office. 
 
 Hall laughed and then stood thoughtful 
 for a few moments, smoking airily, blowing 
 rings. Then he entered his bedroom, took 
 off his dressing-gown and put on his coat. 
 Returning, he went up to his camera and 
 looked it over. The elevating rack creaked; 
 it needed a drop of oil. He had turned to 
 look for the can, when Flodie came back. 
 
 "There's a desperate old flirt out there to 
 see you, Mr. Bonistelle, — Mr. Doremus." 
 
 "Doremus?" Hall searched his memory. 
 "A flirt?" 
 
 "Well, he gazed upon me a bit rapturous- 
 ly, I thought, but it may have been merely 
 Platonic." Flodie shrugged her shoulders 
 disdainfully. 
 
 "What does he look like, — a bill collector?" 
 
 "No, not determined enough for that." 
 
 "Drummer ?" 
 
 "Oh, in that case he certainly couldn't have 
 been Platonic. Why, he's just a nice old 
 26 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 man with a side-whisker effect, trimmed 
 with a gold chain in scallops, and he stares 
 at you over the top of his glasses." 
 
 Hall sighed. "Well, have him in. I'll 
 settle him!" 
 
 Exit Flodie. 
 
 Enter Saul Doremus, Esquire, grave and 
 precise. 
 
 "Ah, Mr. Bonistelle? Good morning, sir!" 
 He looked about the studio in calm detach- 
 ment. 
 
 "Good morning," said Hall, a bit coldly. 
 "What can I do for you, Mr. Doremus?" 
 
 Mr. Doremus looked about for a chair, 
 and sat down deliberately. He searched in 
 the inside pocket of his frock coat as he 
 replied pompously. "H'm. I took the first 
 opportunity to communicate with you, Mr. 
 Bonistelle. Unluckily, however, I could not 
 get you on the telephone this morning." 
 Still his hand groped in his pocket, like a 
 dog at a woodchuck's hole. 
 
 "No?" Hall remarked impatiently. "I 
 suppose I wasn't up." 
 27 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Doremus brought forth a long envelope. 
 "Fine day, isn't it?" 
 
 "Oh, I suppose it is. I haven't looked out, 
 yet." 
 
 The visitor jerked a placid thumb back- 
 ward, toward the office. "Rather an attrac- 
 tive little lady you have out there." 
 
 "Oh, she's all right." Hall's eyes began 
 to snap, and his tone grew sharp. "Er — 
 what was it- you — the fact is, Mr. Doremus, 
 I'm rather busy this morning — I was — 
 er " 
 
 Mr. Doremus took off his glasses and 
 began to polish them on his handkerchief. 
 This finished, he put them on. Solemnly he 
 spoke, looking over the tops of the rubber 
 bows: "Mr. Bonistelle, I have the honor of 
 being the attorney for the estate of your 
 uncle, the late John Beasley Bonistelle." 
 
 A mental thunderbolt struck the room, and 
 Hall, shocked and frightened, could only gasp : 
 "Oh! Oh, yes . . . Doremus! Why, yes, 
 of course! Certainly! Say, have a more 
 comfortable chair, Mr. Doremus!" Hysteri- 
 28 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 cally he brought up an armchair and bun- 
 dled Mr. Doremus into it. Mr. Doremus was 
 beginning to squint at his papers and hardly 
 noticed the change. 
 
 "Er — is there any news about the will, 
 Mr. Doremus? Here, have a cigar!" Hall 
 took one from his pocket and offered it to 
 Doremus, almost forced it into his lips. 
 
 Doremus looked up and nodded gravely. 
 "Yes, the will has been found, Mr. Bonistelle, 
 at last!" He tapped the paper in his hand. 
 "It was discovered this morning at eight 
 twenty-seven o'clock. You see I have been 
 prompt, sir. I considered it only just to 
 you, in the rather extraordinary circum- 
 stances." 
 
 Hall restrained an overwhelming curiosity. 
 "Where did you find it?" he asked faintly. 
 
 "Ah, curious. Most curious. An eccentric 
 man, your uncle, Mr. Bonistelle. It was 
 found in his library. In fact, if you will 
 believe me, between the leaves of his own 
 book — I mean, of course, the one he wrote 
 himself — Race Suicide and How to Prevent 
 29 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 It, I believe it is called. I have not yet had 
 the pleasure of reading it." He cleared his 
 throat. 
 
 "Nor any one else, I fancy," said Hall, 
 boiling at the circumlocutions. "But go on, 
 for heaven's sake!" 
 
 Mr. Doremus took off his glasses, tight- 
 ened the spring and readjusted them to his 
 nose, glanced at the paper, unfolded it, then 
 looked over the tops of his lenses to Hall 
 Bonistelle. "It is a very curious document, 
 Mr. Bonistelle, very curious. I think I should 
 ask you to prepare yourself for a shock, a 
 great shock." 
 
 "Shock? Oh, lord!" Hall, indeed, had 
 prepared himself, as he thought, but at this 
 warning his heart fell. "Oh, I'm disinherited, 
 then, I suppose. I thought so!" 
 
 "Oh, no, not quite that. Not precisely." 
 Mr. Doremus stopped, and gave the young 
 man a steady inspection. "I understand that 
 you will be twenty-eight upon the fourth of 
 May, Mr. Bonistelle. Am I correct?" 
 
 "Yes. To-morrow. Why ?" 
 
 "Most unfortunate. Most precarious, I 
 30 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 might say. I am very, very sorry to hear it, 
 Mr. Bonistelle." 
 
 "Sorry myself," said Hall, now getting 
 decidedly impatient. "I hate to grow old 
 as much as anybody, but I don't see why it 
 should concern you." Then a thought burst 
 in his mind. "Why, you don't mean that " 
 
 Mr. Doremus solemnly held up his hand. 
 "Wait!" he commanded. "Let me, before I 
 go through the whole document, read this 
 one clause." 
 
 Flodie, peeping through the door, was 
 breathlessly listening. Hall was growing 
 white. 
 
 "Er — here it is." Mr. Doremus proceeded 
 to read soberly. " 'The residue of my estate 
 I leave to my beloved nephew, Hall Cutler 
 Bonistelle—' " 
 
 Hall jumped up. "God! I never (iared 
 hope for it!" 
 
 "Wait a minute, Mr. Bonistelle! — 'on con- 
 dition that he is married before he reaches 
 the age of twenty-eight years.' " 
 
 "Oh, lord, I knew it! Well, it's all up 
 then — just my luck!" 
 31 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 " 'If, however, at the beginning of his 
 twenty-eighth birthday he is still unmarried, 
 this residue shall be the property of my be- 
 loved cousin, Jonas Hassingbury, as a testi- 
 mony to our youthful friendship.' " Mr. 
 Doremus looked up. 
 
 Hall was scowling. "Let's see it!" he de- 
 manded, and he took the instrument, and 
 read the clause over to himself, while Mr. 
 Doremus' eyes drifted slowly about the 
 apartment. "How much will the residuary 
 legatee receive?" Hall asked weakly. 
 
 "Oh, upward of four millions, I expect," 
 said Mr. Doremus with unction. "Possibly 
 four and a half. You'll see that the first 
 bequests are small. When the estate is ad- 
 ministered it may amount to even more than 
 I now expect." 
 
 "And I lose all that, just because I'm a 
 single man!" Hall dropped, limp and 
 gloomy, into a chair. 
 
 Mr. Doremus bowed soberly. "Your uncle 
 held strong views, Mr. Bonistelle. He firm- 
 ly believed in marriage. He thought it a 
 32 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY, 
 
 duty. He maintained high ideals for the 
 future of the race, and considered it desir- 
 able that, if necessary for the benefit of 
 posterity, the individual should be sacrificed." 
 
 "Oh, for heaven's sake!" cried Hall, "I 
 know all about that. Didn't Uncle John talk 
 me to death on the subject? Damned old 
 fraud. Why the devil didn't he get married 
 himself?" 
 
 "An unfortunate love-affair, I understand, 
 prevented his putting his own theories into 
 practise," said Mr. Doremus. "It is hardly 
 my place either to defend or accuse him. 
 I am sorry, for your sake, Mr. Bonistelle, 
 that you did not see your way clear to — ahem 
 — to humoring the old man's desires. I think 
 — mind, I do not say so positively — ^but it 
 is possible that, had you — knowing, you un- 
 derstand, his peculiar theories " 
 
 "Acted accordingly?" said Hall. "Married 
 on the chance of becoming his heir? Bright 
 idea! But it's too late now. Lord!" 
 
 "It is, as you say, too late, practically, I 
 presume," Mr. Doremus remarked, • "but, 
 33 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 legally, I must remind you that the time has 
 not yet expired. You have until midnight, 
 you understand, in which to qualify for the 
 inheritance." 
 
 Hall took out his watch. "Five minutes 
 to ten. H'm. Yes, I have fourteen hours 
 and five minutes in which to go through the 
 ceremony. Pretty quick work, Mr. Doremus, 
 eh? No, I'm out of it, I expect." He shook 
 his head dolefully. 
 
 "Much has been done in fourteen hours, 
 Mr. Bonlstelle," said Mr. Doremus. 
 
 "Fourteen hours !" Hall repeated. "Why, 
 fourteen days would be little enough time. 
 You can't put a thing like marriage through 
 on a time schedule, you know, can you?" 
 
 "I confess I do not know," said Mr. Dore- 
 mus, rising. "It has never occurred to me 
 to contemplate marriage, in any form what- 
 ever. It is, I consider, unless perhaps as in 
 your own case a financial boon, a dangerous 
 adventure. A less responsible relation with 
 women, perhaps — has, well — advantages. At 
 least, so I found in my youth." 
 34 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall sat in a brown study, regarding his 
 boots, as Mr. Doremus prepared to leave. 
 Flodie, her eyes bright with excitement, tip- 
 toed back into the office. 
 
 Mr. Doremus deposited the paper upon the 
 table. "Well, I shall leave you this copy to in- 
 spect at your leisure, Mr. Bonistelle. If ad- 
 vice from me should seem desirable for any 
 reason whatsoever during the day, pray ring 
 me up and I shall be quite at your service." 
 He walked toward the door, paused and 
 smiled comically. "You may not be aware 
 that I am a justice of the peace, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle. I shall be quite willing to accommo- 
 date you, should you find a bride. I think 
 I could perform as creditable a ceremony as 
 any clergyman — at half price!" He chuckled 
 at the idea. 
 
 Hall, in no mood for jests, rose and fol- 
 lowed him. "Where's Cousin Jonas — Mr. 
 Hassingbury ?" he asked. "Lord, he ought 
 to be a happy man, about now!" 
 
 Mr. Doremus paused. "I took the first 
 opportunitv of telegraphing to Mr. Hassing- 
 35 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 bury," he said, "informing him of the pro- 
 visions of J. B. Bonistelle's will. I requested 
 his immediate appearance in town, and I have 
 no doubt but that he will arrive here some 
 time during the day." 
 
 "Think of that old hypocrite getting all 
 that money!" Hall exclaimed. "Lord, it 
 makes me ill — he'll be a thousand times more 
 disgusting than ever, with his religious bosh 
 and his charity talk!" 
 
 Mr. Doremus lifted an eloquent finger. 
 "As an executor, you understand I must pre- 
 serve an attitude of strict impartiality," he 
 admonished. "I can not, of course, take 
 sides between you and your cousin." 
 
 "Oh, I understand perfectly. The lawyer 
 always comes out ahead, no matter who wins. 
 He doesn't give a darn either way." Hall 
 laughed cynically. 
 
 "At the same time," Mr. Doremus went 
 on, smiling amiably, "in my private capacity, 
 I confess that I am on the side of youth" — 
 he waved his hands dramatically — "youth 
 is romantic — I still worship romance — not in 
 36 
 
LOVE IN A' HURRY 
 
 public, mind you, but secretly — alone. I may 
 seem old to you, Mr. Bonistelle, but," he 
 touched his waistcoat, "my heart is still 
 young! Nothing would please me — ^person- 
 ally — more than to hear that you had won. 
 Four millions — ah, one could indulge one's 
 youthful dreams!" He shook his head senti- 
 mentally. "Si la jeunesse savait, si la vieillesse. 
 pouvait!" 
 
 Hall watched him, half-amused. "Say, 
 Doremus, you're all right!" Mr. Doremus 
 was looking over his shoulder to get a 
 glimpse of Flodie. Hall had an idea. "I 
 say," he suggested, "why not come around 
 here to-night, and we'll have a wake over 
 my lost inheritance. I'm giving a small party, 
 you know, just a few of my clients, and an 
 actress or two " 
 
 "Actresses?" Mr. Doremus brightened up 
 visibly. 
 
 "Oh, yes — one or two — ^why? Don't you 
 like 'em?" 
 
 "Well, well! It might remind me of old 
 times." Mr. Doremus offered his hand. "I 
 2,7 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 think I shall come. It may renew my youth. 
 Ah, Mr. Bonistelle, you might not believe it, 
 but I've waited at the stage door myself, in 
 my time!" 
 
 "I'll bet you have, old sport! and got away 
 with it, too," said Hall, laughing. "Come 
 along, then, I'll set them on you!" 
 
 "I haven't forgotten how to handle 'em! 
 I'll show you how we old boys used to keep 
 the girls awake before the days of lobsters and 
 taxicabs. I don't know but I might tackle a 
 turkey trot, myself!" said Mr. Doremus, 
 highly pleased. He tried a few steps, then 
 stopped to add. "But meanwhile, don't for- 
 get that I'm a justice of the peace!" He 
 gave Hall a poke in the ribs, grinned, bowed 
 and went out, with a youngish smile at Flo- 
 die as he flourished through the office. 
 
 "Ten o'clock!" cried Hall. 
 
 "I'll be there!" cried Doremus. 
 
 No sooner was the door shut than Hall 
 Bonistelle exploded. "Well, Flodie, it's all 
 up! It's back to the farm for mine! Isn't 
 that just my luck?" 
 
 38 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 A lively hope had blossomed in Flodie's 
 heart. She was pale and trepid. "I couldn't 
 quite hear," she answered, dissembling; 
 "what was it?" 
 
 "Four and a half million dollars gone to 
 the devil just by a fluke — that's all! By 
 jove, it's an outrage!" 
 
 Flodie stood twisting her hands nervously. 
 "You don't mean you're going to let that — " 
 Flodie stopped just in time; her mind had 
 run away with her lips. "Oh, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, I mean you don't mean that mean old 
 Jonas Hassingbury's going to get that 
 money ?" 
 
 "Yes, confound him! the psalm-singing, 
 holier-than-thou old hypocrite! Four mil- 
 lions, Flodie! Think of it! Good God, 
 isn't it ferocious? And if that will had only 
 been found when Uncle John died — ^but lord, 
 what's the use of talking! It's all up with 
 me now, Flodie! Fill up the plate-holder! 
 A little more light on the forehead — now look 
 pleasant! Wink all you please! Yes, ma'am, 
 fifty dollars a dozen. God!" He walked 
 39 
 
LQVE IN A HURRY 
 
 doggedly back into the studio, and gave a 
 vicious swing to his camera. 
 
 Flodie Fisher followed him in, then stood 
 looking at him pensively, without a word. 
 
 "What's the matter?" he asked, irritated 
 by her silence. 
 
 Flodie was still dumb. She stared at him 
 earnestly; there was a plaintive look of yearn- 
 ing on her face. 
 
 "Can't you speak? Aren't you sorry? Or 
 are you?" he demanded crossly. 
 
 Flodie moved over to the table and began 
 to pick up the breakfast dishes. She spoke 
 slowly, softly, deliberately. "Why don't you 
 go ahead and get the money, Mr. Bonistelle?" 
 
 It was his turn to stare at her. "Oh — 
 ho! Then you did hear him, did you? Get 
 the money? How?" 
 
 "Why, get married!" Flodie turned sud- 
 denly crimson. 
 
 "Get married! What, in fourteen hours?" 
 
 Flodie very carefully set the coffee-pot in 
 the exact center of the tray. "I don't see 
 why it's nonsense." 
 
 40 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Why, who in the world would have me?" 
 
 Flodie swallowed down a lump in her 
 throat. "Oh," she said, "I'm sure there's 
 some nice girl who'd be so proud to marry 
 you, Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Where, for heaven's satfe?" 
 
 "Oh!" Flodie almost lost her courage to 
 look him in the face. "There must be some 
 one, somewhere. I'm sure there is!" she re- 
 peated desperately. 
 
 "Well, I don't know how I'm to find her — 
 and I've got deuced little time to look.' Why, 
 do you realize that I've only got till midnight 
 to do the whole thing in?" He went up to 
 her. "And do 3'ou imagine that any woman 
 would want to be married in that way?" 
 
 "Oh, when you're in love, it doesn't matter 
 how soon " 
 
 "A hurricane wooing, eh? By jove, I 
 wonder — " He stared at her with a new 
 light in his eyes. "Say, you really think I 
 could get away with it? Why, I never " 
 
 "Oh, you could do anything, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, I'm certain you could !" 
 41 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Do you know of any woman who'd have 
 me — ^that quick?" 
 
 Flodie tried to speak, hesitated, couldn't. 
 "I — think so — " she finally got out. Then, 
 timidly: "Yes, I'm sure she would!" 
 
 "By jove, I'll try it !" he exclaimed. "Who 
 is she?" 
 
 Flodie almost broke down. She crept up 
 to him timidly. "Why — why, you know, 
 Mr. Bonistelle, don't you? — why, you must 
 know! It's some one" — she stopped and 
 swallowed — "some one you see — very often." 
 She couldn't look him in the face, but stood 
 waiting fearfully, trembling. 
 
 "Lord, if I could do it!" Hall went on to 
 himself. "Four millions! Before midnight." 
 He paused, gazing at a corner of the ceiling. 
 "Oh, by jove!" he exclaimed suddenly, "I 
 know now ! You mean Rena Royalton ! Why, 
 I never thought of her, before! Of course. 
 Yes, that's a fact! She did call me Hall, the 
 last time I saw her, didn't she?" He turned 
 to Flodie. "See here, Flodie, you're clever! 
 — how the deuce did you know?" 
 42 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie clutched at her heart and bit her lip 
 to keep back the tears. He put it to her 
 direct. "Is it Mrs. Royalton, Flodie?" 
 
 Flodie's smile was a triumph; it had in it 
 a dozen different meanings, it was wonderful 
 in its beautiful renunciation; but it' took a 
 full minute for her to control herself, and, 
 meanwhile, she busied herself wi,th the tray. 
 
 "Yes," she managed to say finally, and 
 choking, she walked rapidly back into the 
 office. 
 
 Hall stood and thought it over. He took 
 out his watch and looked at it anxiously. It 
 was already ten o'clock. Mrs. Royalton 
 would be there at any minute. There was 
 little time for preparation, but some plan of 
 action must be determined on. Once he shook 
 his head. It was too outrageous; then the 
 humor of the affair seized him and he 
 laughed harshly, aloud. 
 
 Flodie's white face appeared in the door- 
 way. "What is, it?" she cried. 
 
 "I've got it!" he shouted, "we'll have the 
 wedding to-night. The guests are invited 
 43 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 already, and they can't get at the rice. How's 
 that? Won't that be great? Flodie Fisher, 
 you've saved my hfe!" 
 
 He grabbed her and whirled her round in 
 a crazy waltz, till she broke away in anguish. 
 
 "Oh, but will she be willing to do it in a 
 hurry like that, d'you think?" Hall failed 
 to see the terror in Flodie's eyes. 
 
 "Why, — confound it, wasn't it your own 
 idea? I thought you were sure that she was 
 in love with me! If she is, I think she ought 
 to be willing to make a little haste for the 
 sake of capturing four millions. By jove, 
 she's just got to, and that's all there is about 
 it !" 
 
 Flodie came a step forward; resolve was 
 in her attitude. "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle," she be- 
 gan, "I'll just have to tell you. I can't bear 
 it " 
 
 At that moment there was a sound of the 
 hall door opening. 
 
 "What is it?" Hall said. "Anything I 
 can do for you? Want to be a bridesmaid, 
 or what?" 
 
 44 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie turned, looked, and saw. "Oh, noth- 
 ing!" She put her hand to her head, as if 
 it were aching. "There she is, now!" she 
 sighed. "Mrs. Royalton!" 
 
 "Good! Tell her I'll be ready in just a 
 minute!" Hall rushed into the dark room 
 to load his plate-holders. 
 
 Flodie went wearily into the ofRce with 
 a curt "Good morning, Mrs. Royalton," and 
 made a brave attempt to smile. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton was plump and flamboyant, 
 handsome, if one didn't mind' her pop eyes, 
 which were brown and brilliant. She was a 
 sleek and glossy woman dressed in the ex- 
 treme of style, apparently quite assured of 
 her own charms. Her motions were pleas- 
 antly slow — she moved about with a stately 
 swan-like carriage. Her vocal tones, too, 
 were slow and smooth ; full of a sort of senti- 
 mental unction. Vastly condescending al- 
 ways, was Mrs. Royalton, to her inferiors; 
 suave and flattering to those she admired. 
 She wore white, with a purple hat. 
 
 "What's the matter, child? Been crying, 
 45 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY' 
 
 haven't you?" This to Flodie, with a great 
 effect of kindness. 
 
 "Crying! No!" Flodie resented it bit- 
 terly. "I got some hypo on my face and it 
 burned me a little, that's all." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton gave her a curious glance. 
 "My dear, you do look awfully worried. 
 What in the world does a young girl like you 
 have to trouble you?" 
 
 "Oh, waiting on customers, for one thing!" 
 Flodie tossed her head like a filly. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton didn't, apparently, get the 
 sarcasm. "Well, you don't seem to wait on 
 them very much! Isn't Mr. Bonistelle ready 
 for me yet?" 
 
 Flodie started to reply, then changed her 
 mind. "I don't know," she said, "I'll see. 
 Just go into the dressing-room, Mrs Royal- 
 ton. You'll find everything there." She 
 turned with a dangerous look on her face 
 and went back to the studio. 
 
 Hall was blinking from the dark room, 
 loaded plate-holders in hand. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle," Flodie whispered 
 46 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 despairingly, "you aren't going to propose to 
 her, are you? Oh, don't, don't, please, Mr. 
 Bonistelle !" 
 
 "Well, what's the matter now? I thought 
 you wanted me to." 
 
 "Oh, but I don't, now!" 
 
 "Well isn't that just like a woman — chang- 
 ing her mind every two minutes! What's 
 the matter with you? Don't you want me to 
 get the money? Good lord! Four mil- 
 lions, real money, Flodie! You're crazy! 
 Don't you worry! It'll be a happy day for 
 you, little girl, when I'm married! I'll see 
 that you get a better job than this! Say, 
 Where's that other plate-holder?" \ 
 
 Flodie, stunned and numb with the shock 
 his careless words had given her, stood 
 entranced with misery, trying to reply. In 
 her stupor she heard herself say, "Over there, 
 I guess." She gave him one beseeching look. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 "Over on that shelf. Oh, Mr. Bonistelle, 
 you'll be awfully unhappy! I know you 
 will!" 
 
 47 
 
LOVE IN A HURRYi 
 
 He stopped impatiently. 
 
 "Unhappy! With four millions, Flodie? 
 With a private yacht — a country house — a 
 villa in Italy, perhaps, — automobiles — a valet 
 r — by jove, I guess not!" 
 
 Her face was absurdly distorted with pain 
 and anxiety. Her fists were clenched. She 
 summoned her courage for the last despair- 
 ing stroke. "Oh, she — paints, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle! She paints her face like a clown! 
 You wouldn't " 
 
 Hall laughed aloud. "For heaven's sake! 
 Is that what's troubling you? Now, I sup- 
 pose she's the only woman who does it in 
 all New York! Well, put your mind kt rest, 
 Flodie; I'll promise to reform her after we're 
 married. Tell her to come in." 
 
 Flodie, repressing her tears, was like Mrs. 
 Royalton's shadow as that bright-eyed lady 
 passed the threshold. Once alone, however, 
 Flodie pulled herself together. With what 
 mental power she had, she proceeded alone 
 and forlorn to give her rival the death treat- 
 ment. 
 
 48 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, meanwhile, had wandered 
 into the studio. She began, as usual, with 
 a simper and a smile. "I don't know that I 
 ought to shake hands with you, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle! You're a bad, bad boy! Why haven't 
 you been to see me, all this long while?" She 
 filled the place with her dulcet personality. 
 
 Hall inspected her sagely, as one inspects 
 a valuable object he is expecting to purchase, 
 seeing her, as it were, for the first time. 
 She had suddenly become immensely import- 
 ant to him. The possibility of his spending 
 the rest of his life with her, calling her "my 
 wife," seeing her across a breakfast table — 
 or even in negligee — heavens, it was a curi- 
 ous sensation! His first remark lacked con- 
 viction. "Oh, I've been busy — Renal" That 
 "Rena" barely saved it. 
 
 "Busy! Oh, you're always too busy for 
 poor little me! I'm sure you'll take a hor- 
 rid picture of me — and I did so want to get 
 a good one to-day!" Mrs. Royalton rattled 
 on, taking off her veil and inspecting her hair 
 in the cheval glass. She twitted him on his 
 49 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 impoliteness, she made her big eyes bigger. 
 She did the spoiled child kittenishly. 
 
 "My little mother wanted me to be taken 
 with these violets," she said, looking down at 
 her corsage bouquet. Then she rose and drev\; 
 out a few blossoms. "Here, let me put some 
 in your buttonhole — Hall!" 
 
 She went up to him, and nestling close, 
 tucked them into his buttonhole, while he 
 faintly thanked her. For a moment she 
 lingered near him. 
 
 But Hall still seemed distrait. He broke 
 away nervously and went to work. He spent 
 twice the time necessary in pulling his camera 
 into position, screwing it up and screwing it 
 down, adjusting the shades to the skylights. 
 Hall Bonistelle prided himself on being, to all 
 esthetic intents, an amateur; in spirit, that 
 is, if not in fact. He scorned the devices of 
 the professional photographer, the set posi- 
 tions, the racks, the head-rests, and all the 
 hideous commercialism and pettifying re- 
 touching that the word connoted. He con- 
 sidered himself an artist, — not merely a 
 50 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 would-be whose whole notion of distinction 
 consisted of a penciled autograph on the 
 southeast corner of his prints, — but one whose 
 study was of the soul and character as well 
 as of the body. It was his custom, there- 
 fore, to engage his subject in conversation, 
 permitting her to change position, talk, drink 
 tea, flirt, or gesture as she would, while she 
 was unaware, and before she began to won- 
 der why he did not begin, to have managed 
 the exposure of some dozen plates, from one 
 or two of which he was pretty sure to achieve 
 a triumph of art and naturalness. 
 
 But, at the mercy of his obsession, this 
 method was impossible to-day. Hall was too 
 busy making up his mind, and could not do 
 two things at once. 
 
 "You're not a bit yourself, Mr. Bonistelle! 
 I'm sure you'll take a horrid picture of me — 
 and I wanted so to get a good one." Her 
 mellifluous voice flowed like sirup. 
 
 Hall murmured something about plates and 
 developers. It wouldn't do, however, for 
 Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 51 
 
LOVE IN :a: hurry 
 
 "You're not paying a bit of attention to 
 me," she pouted. Mrs. Royalton, babyish, 
 was a picture for a cynic. 
 
 But Hall was too engrossed in his own 
 thoughts. He caught her with an unlifted 
 finger, cried "There!" and slipped in a plate. 
 "The fact is, I am a bit worried to-day," he 
 confessed. "Just look a bit over that way. 
 That's right! Fine!" He deftly pressed the 
 bulb. 
 
 "What is worrying you? I know what 
 ought to be the trouble — neglecting poor 
 little me for so long — ^but I don't suppose 
 you have thought of me once since you saw 
 me last!" Mrs. Royalton whined melodious- 
 ly. "What have you got on your mind, you 
 wonderful man?" 
 
 "Oh, it's nothing. Only — well, the fact is, 
 Rena, some very important business has just 
 come up. Damned important. And I've 
 got to settle it right away. You see, I don't 
 just know how to do it, you know." 
 
 She went up to him again and patted his 
 arm. "Oh, you poor dear man! Oh, I wish 
 I could help him out!" 
 52 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, no, I'm afraid you can't help me," 
 he said irritably. "I wish to heaven you 
 could, I'm afraid I'll have to do it all alone. 
 Well, let's get it over. Here, take that chair. 
 Just sit down naturally. Any old way. 
 There! That's right." 
 
 He had withdrawn the plate-holder and 
 wheeled his camera round to another side of 
 the room. "Now look up!" he commanded. 
 Then he dived under the focusing cloth, and 
 emerged to say, "It's partly you that I'm 
 worrying about, though, Rena." 
 
 "About me? No!" Mrs. Royalton was 
 delighted. 
 
 "Yes, I am, really!" He went up to her 
 and adjusted her jabot. 
 
 Her eyes went off at him like a double- 
 barreled shotgun in an explosion of coquetry. 
 "I suppose you tell that to every woman you 
 know!" 
 
 He was in for it, now. "Nonsense! It's 
 true, Rena." 
 
 She opened her eyes still wider. "What 
 in the world do you mean?" She was hungry 
 for more. 
 
 53 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Wait till I get another picture." Hall 
 wheeled his camera into a new position, won- 
 dering what to say next. She was animated 
 enough, now; her big eyes fairly blazed. The 
 tigress had scented the antelope. 
 
 For some time he held her off while she 
 teased for further revelation, inquisitive, tan- 
 talized. Her interest was caught in a half 
 dozen poses; several plate-holders were filled 
 while Hall hurriedly planned his campaign. "I 
 don't believe you've thought of me once!" and 
 the lens shutter clicked. "You know alto- 
 gether too many women to bother about poor 
 little me!" as he exposed the plate. Finally 
 he sat down beside her on the couch under 
 the window, stretched out his hand, obtained 
 hers without much trouble, and felt of it 
 softly. She stared at him excitedly. 
 
 "You know, Rena, the reason why I haven't 
 been to see you, don't you?" 
 
 "Oh, some other woman, I'm sure." 
 
 "No; I just didn't dare. I hadn't the cour- 
 
 ^ >j 
 
 age. 
 
 "My! You're bold enough, now!" 
 
 54 
 

 'There ! That's right ! 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Am I too bold?" 
 
 She drew her hand away, but permitted it 
 to be recaptured with ease. "You must know 
 what I've been thinking," he went on. "You' 
 must have seen it in my eyes." ! 
 
 "Why, your eyes look all right, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle. I haven't any idea what you're talking 
 about!" She was a forty-year-old baby, now. 
 
 "I wish I could see some of it in your eyes, 
 Rena!" 
 
 "What in the world? See what?" 
 
 "Rena, I can't stand it. I want you! Sure- 
 ly you know what I mean!" 
 
 She was apparently too surprised to 
 speak, but she was indubitably pleased. She 
 sat gazing at him, open-mouthed. 
 
 "I've admired you ever since I first saw 
 you, Rena!" He plunged in, now, over his 
 head. He shut his eyes for the jump, to give 
 it intensity. "I can't get you out of my mind 
 — I — I — love you, Rena, didn't you know 
 that?" 
 
 She moved away, as if a bit alarmed, and 
 withdrew her hand. "Why, Mr. Bon— Hall! 
 55 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I had no idea you thought of me in that way. 
 It's absurd. You haven't known me but a 
 few weeks " 
 
 "Oh, I've known you long enough. I've 
 been desperate about it — " Hall began almost 
 to mean it. "Rena, you're the only woman 
 I ever loved!" 
 
 "Hall! Truly?" 
 
 "Truly." He cast down his eyes. 
 
 "Hall," — she paused and gave him a long 
 languishing look. "Why, I can't believe it! 
 When did you first discover that you loved 
 me, Hall?" she cooed, drawing nearer. 
 
 This stopped him for a moment. "Why — 
 since — since — ^the second time, I think it 
 was " 
 
 "You think it was! You mean that time 
 you came to dinner? Why, I thought you 
 were much more interested in Carolyn Dal- 
 lys!" 
 
 "Carolyn Dallys! Imagine my being in 
 love with Carolyn Dallys! Of course, you 
 know, I had to be careful " 
 
 "Yes, you were .careful enough to flirt 
 with her outrageously!" 
 56 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Don't you believe me, Rena? I tell 
 you, I can't stand it any longer. I've simply 
 got to have you. Don't say no yet — ^just 
 listen! Give me some encouragement, Rena, 
 just a bit!" 
 
 She looked at him virith immense delight. 
 "You poor boy." Softly she patted his 
 hand. 
 
 "Then you do like me a little, Rena?" He 
 seized her hand firmly. 
 
 She looked slowly away, her eyes travel- 
 ing round the room contentedly. "Well, you 
 know, Hall, I've never had any idea of get- 
 ting married again. Really, it's awful sud- 
 den. I had no idea. Of course, I've always 
 liked you — ^you know that. Hall — ^but,' some- 
 how — why, I ' never expected you to — I can't 
 quite believe it, that's all!" She smiled at 
 him fondly. "Do you really mean it?" 
 
 Hall sprang up suddenly. "There! I 
 forgot to expose that plate!" He went to 
 the camera, gave her a warning gesture, 
 pressed the bulb. Then, as he put in the slide 
 he said, smiling, "Well, I guess I got a good 
 one that time! Of course, I mean it!" 
 57 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rena was pleased and happy, radiant. "To 
 think that you're in love with just poor 
 little me!" 
 
 Hall jumped back to her side and seized 
 her hand. 
 
 "Then you will say yes — and make me 
 the happiest man in the world — the richest 
 man in the " 
 
 "Richest?" her eyes questioned him. 
 
 "Richest — yes, I mean in having your love, 
 you know." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton would squeeze every precious 
 drop out of the orange. "Do you really 
 love me so much?" 
 
 "Oh, do I! Why, Rena, I simply can't 
 wait — I want to marry you immediately — 
 as soon as possible — to-day, even! " 
 
 Rena rose. "Oh, that's impossible!" Her 
 voice lost its unction and became immediate- 
 ly matter-of-fact. "Don't be silly. Hall. Why, 
 I haven't said 'yes' yet. I must have time to 
 think it over." 
 
 "Time?" Hall's face dropped. 
 
 "Yes, of course, silly. I must be sure, you 
 58 
 
LOVE IN 'A HURRY 
 
 know. It's a serious thing, marriage is. 
 Hall. I've been through it once, myself, 
 and I ought to know! Very serious." 
 
 "Oh, serious — of course — but if you knew 
 how I love you " 
 
 "I want to be sure, this time!" She shook 
 her head in swift retrospection. 
 
 "Don't torture me, Rena! You know how 
 I must suffer. Think of my being deprived 
 of the opportunity of " 
 
 "Of what?" Again her cow-like gaze dis- 
 concerted him. 
 
 "Oh, of everything — of you — of happiness 
 — of, of — lord, you know!" He looked at 
 her helplessly. She still smiled, proud of his 
 ardor. Something in her pleased eyes en- 
 couraged him, and he put his arm about her 
 shoulder, tried to draw her closer, had his 
 lips ready for the kiss, when she sprang up. 
 
 "Mercy, Hall! Not here! Not now! 
 Not yet!" She took a few steps from him, 
 and turned to look him over, even as he had 
 looked at her. She looked as a woman looks 
 at a hat in a milliner's, then shook her head, 
 59 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 as if she were not sure it was becoming. 
 "No, Hall, I'm afraid I must have a little 
 time. I can't decide just now " 
 
 "Rena!" 
 
 "No, Hall. You must be patient, dear. 
 Give me a week " 
 
 "A week!" Hall exclaimed. "Good lord, 
 I can't wait a week — it's impossible! I've 
 got to know " 
 
 "Well, two days, then." 
 
 Hall went up to her deliberately. "Rena, 
 I swear I'll blow my brains out if you 
 don't " 
 
 "Mercy!" she cried, "do you really care 
 for me that way, Hall, dear? Oh, don't do 
 anything rash. Hall, I'll — " She put her 
 hand softly upon his arm. 
 
 "See here!" Hall spoke deliberately. "Will 
 you let me know to-night? You're coming 
 to my party here, to-night, aren't you?" 
 
 "Why, yes, I was." 
 
 "Will you give me your answer then?" 
 
 She hung fire for a moment. Hall gave 
 a gesture of agony — it was his supreme effort 
 60 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 and had a touch of genius. Mrs. Royalton, 
 seeing, capitulated. "Well, then, all right, 
 to-night." 
 
 "You'll promise?" 
 
 "Yes, I'll promise." 
 
 Hall tried again for an embrace — even 
 while repulsing him she let him taste her lips, 
 then she feebly pushed him away. "Oh, 
 Hall, you mustn't! Not yet, anyway — you 
 know I haven't accepted you, yet. Oh, I 
 can't decide. I've got to think it all over 
 calmly." 
 
 "Lord, not calmly, Rena!" he exclaimed. 
 He gazed sadly at his shoes. "The suspense 
 will be terrible!" he said, and with elaborate 
 emphasis, "my darling!" 
 
 "Oh, 'Faint heart ne'er won fair lady !' " 
 Mrs. Royalton seemed fully two inches taller 
 than when she had come in. "Now, I must 
 go. Hall. Good-by!" She held out her hand, 
 an empress to a slave. He kissed it with 
 fervor. She turned toward the office; then 
 stopped, and gave a longing look into the 
 mirror. 
 
 61 
 
LOVE IN 'A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, I almost wish you might take my 
 picture all over again," she sighed. "I'm 
 sure you would get a much better one, now. 
 Isn't it queer how it does become one to have 
 just had a proposal?" And with that she 
 smiled, and walked out. 
 
 For ten minutes Flodie had stood stealth- 
 ily by the door, trying to listen. She had 
 barely time to spring back to her desk. 
 
 "Good-by, Miss Fisher!" Mrs. Royalton 
 paused condescendingly. "I think if you 
 used almond cream for your face it might 
 do it a great deal of good. Try one of those 
 wrinkle-bands, why don't you! They're really 
 very efficacious." She swished into the dress- 
 ing-room to put on her veil. 
 
 Flodie waited a moment in scornful silence, 
 then burst into the studio to find Hall gazing 
 in a Stupor out the window, hands in pock- 
 ets, a scowl on his face. "What did she 
 say?" she whispered. Hall didn't hear. 
 "What did she say, Mr. Bonistelle!" Flodie 
 was perishing of suspense. 
 
 He turned slowly and gazed at her with 
 a scowling face. 
 
 '62 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "She wanted time. Time! Confound it 
 — the only thing I haven't got! What d'you 
 think of that! I've wasted half an hour on 
 her — wasted my chance for a fortune, per- 
 haps! Why, good lord, Flodie, she may 
 not take me after all!" 
 
 Flodie brightened immediately. "She may 
 not? Really? Oh, Mr. Bonistelle — don't 
 you think she will? What did she say? 
 Tell me." 
 
 Hall walked to the couch and dropped 
 down, shaking his head. "Lord, I feel as if 
 I'd done a week's washing! I'm all used up! 
 Say, Flodie, it takes lots of energy to propose, 
 did you know that?" 
 
 Flodie regarded him wistfully. "I should 
 think it would — especially when you don't 
 mean it." 
 
 "Oh, I mean it all right. I'll stand for it. 
 Four millions! Lord, why wouldn't I mean 
 it? I'd mean anything!" 
 
 "I mean when you don't really love her, Mr. 
 Bonistelle. I don't see how you could do it. 
 I could never do anything like that!" 
 
 "Well, you ought to be glad you don't have 
 63 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 to Flodie. Unfortunately, I do. Why, she'll 
 make a good wife, won't she? I don't say 
 I love her, exactly; but, well, I've always 
 liked Rena Royalton. She's a good fellow. 
 She's got the looks, and the style, and the 
 family connections and everything. I wouldn't 
 be a bit ashamed of her as Mrs. Bonistelle." 
 
 "Oh, don't call her that!" Flodie wailed. 
 ''Don't, I can't bear it!" 
 
 He turned and looked at her over his 
 shoulder. "Why not? What would you call 
 her? That'll be her name, won't it? What's 
 the matter with you, Flodie, anyway? You 
 look so queer! Ill or anything?" 
 
 "Oh, I'm all right!" Flodie smiled bitter- 
 ly. "Only— only " 
 
 "Well, I'll be hanged! Why, anybody 
 would think it was you who were in a hole, 
 not me. You haven't got to be married in 
 thirteen hours, Flodie ! You haven't got any- 
 thing to worry about. Lord, I thought you 
 cared enough for me to help me out!" 
 
 She moved instinctively toward him; in- 
 stinctively she withdrew. "Oh, I do, really 
 64 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I do, Mr. Bonistelle! How can I help you? 
 Tell me!" 
 
 "Well, what am I going to do if Mrs. 
 Royalton refuses me?" 
 
 "Oh! Then you think she may refuse?" 
 Flodie's eyes shone. 
 
 He lighted a cigarette slowly, and nodded. 
 "There's a good even chance of it, I'm afraid. 
 Strikes me she was more flattered than con- 
 quered. I'm not at all sure of her. Wish 
 I were! By jove! Just think of its being 
 in that woman's power to cost me four and 
 a half millions ! It's outrageous !" 
 
 "Don't you let her, Mr. Bonistelle !" Flo- 
 die broke out eagerly. "Oh, it isn't right. 
 Surely there's some other way — a better way 
 than that, Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "A better way? What d'you mean?" Hall 
 looked at her, puzzled. 
 
 Flodie screwed up her courage, and reached 
 gently for his hand. But, no, she didn't quite 
 dare take it. Her own fell, instead, caress- 
 ingly, but unseen, upon his sleeve. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle," she pleaded, "you 
 65 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ought to have some one who really cares for 
 you — who really loves you, you know — who 
 would love you always. Some one who knows 
 how good you are! Don't tie yourself up 
 to a woman like that — why, she's five years 
 older than you are, Mr. Bonistelle — she's 
 middle-aged, almost — and she's been married 
 before, too ! Why, you want youth, Mr. Bon- 
 istelle — and freshness — and " 
 
 "Can I come in?" A high cheerful voice 
 interrupted them. Both turned suddenly 
 toward the doorway to the office. 
 
 There, standing between the portieres, was 
 a young woman looking in, unembarrassedly, 
 with a careless smile on her face. She was 
 the sort of girl who affects extremes in style, 
 and fits to her slimness the sportiest odd 
 hats, the straightest, narrowest, shortest skirts. 
 But they well became her; there was a not 
 unpleasant masculine note in her air and cos- 
 tume — a briskness and confidence that spoke 
 of golf and tennis, horse or boats. Without 
 being too pretty, she had finely cut, sharp 
 features, a long nose, gray eyes, a deft chin. 
 66 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 She was most distinctly a New York type, 
 trim as a cutter, clean and fresh as a hound. 
 If Mrs. Royalton had been willowy-languor- 
 ous, super-sentimental, suave, the crisp and 
 cool newcomer was as easily careless as a boy. 
 She waited, with an arch, somewhat amused 
 expression, for an invitation to enter. 
 
 "Oh,— Miss Dallys ! Good morning!" Hall 
 called out and walked toward her. "Say, 
 would you mind waiting just a minute?" 
 
 "Sure!" said Carolyn Dallys. She waved 
 her hand jauntily, and retreated to the office. 
 
 Hall returned to Flodie and stared at her 
 dramatically. Flodie trembled. Finally he 
 pounded the table with one stroke of his fist. 
 "By jove!" He nodded emphatically. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "You're right, Flodie; Mrs. Royalton is 
 too old." 
 
 "Oh, yes; you don't want a widow, Mr. 
 Bonistelle! Don't marry a widow!" Flodie 
 wrung her hands. 
 
 "No," Hall shoved his hands into his 
 trousers pockets and began to walk back and 
 67 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 forth. "I don't believe I do care for widows. 
 Of course, she has got style, you can't deny 
 that — and family, and all that sort of thing, 
 but you have the idea, Flo; what I want is 
 youth." He stopped and faced her. "Don't 
 I?" 
 
 "Oh, yes! Surely!" Flodie was trembling 
 with hope and love. Her eyes melted in his 
 gaze. 
 
 "Damn it all, I'm still young — I don't want 
 to marry a woman old enough to be my 
 mother. Why, Flodie, it's funny how this 
 thing gets hold of you, once you make up 
 your mind to it. I'll be darned if I don't 
 want to get married, now! I believe I'd get 
 married whether I got the money or not. It's 
 all sort of come over me — why, I ought to 
 get married. It would steady me!" 
 
 "Oh, yes, yes, Mr. Bonistelle," Flodie cried 
 excitedly, "but not Mrs. Royalton! Some 
 one who " 
 
 "No. I'll tell you, Flodie — I can see it all, 
 now." He took her by the hand affectionate- 
 ly and looked into her eyes. 
 68 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle — you don't mean — " 
 Flodie looked unspeakable things. 
 
 He pointed to the door to the office. 
 "There's the girl, right in there! Carolyn 
 Dallys! Why didn't we think of her before?" 
 
 Flodie winced as if he had struck her in 
 the face. Then she burst forth like a water- 
 fall. "Oh, no, no! Let me tell you, Mr. 
 Bonistelle! She's too mannish, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, Miss Dallys is — you want a feminine 
 woman, Mr. Bonistelle — you know — one who 
 can care for you and look after you, and see 
 that you get up and keep your appointments 
 and — oh, dear — can't you see? — " She looked 
 at him, saw he was not listening, made an- 
 other effort, more hysterical, in sheer despair. 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle, why. Miss Dallys cares 
 more for dogs and automobiles that she does 
 for you, Mr. Bonistelle — Mr. Bonistelle — " 
 Flodie took him by the coat lapel impressive- 
 ly. "She smokes cigarettes!" 
 
 Hall laughed and chucked her under the 
 chin. "Oh, that's all right! Lord, Flodie, I 
 don't want to marry a housekeeper, you know. 
 69 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Why, I'll be a millionaire. I'll have servants 
 to do all that. My wife will have to know a 
 thing or two, you know, society, and man- 
 ners and taste. Carolyn is right in it. Col- 
 lege education, music and everything I need 
 — drives a car, plays polo — bridge — swims 
 and shoots — why, lord, I'd be proud to death 
 of her!" 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle," said Flodie with a dying 
 sob in her voice, "do you think Miss Dallys 
 is pretty?" 
 
 "Oh, well. Pretty enough. That doesn't 
 matter. She's smart. I ought to marry a 
 clever woman — culture's what I want, Flo- 
 die !" He turned to his camera, saying, "You 
 go right in and tell her I'm ready." 
 
 Flodie started, hesitated, looked implor- 
 ingly at Hall. He waved a reassuring hand. 
 "All right, Flodie, this is my funeral. You 
 don't need to worry, it's nothing to you!" 
 
 Again Flodie flinched. She gave him one 
 hungry look and started for the office. Then 
 a new thought stabbed her. She turned. 
 "What if Mrs. Royalton should say yes? 
 What if she should?" 
 70 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall suddenly came to his senses. "Say, 
 by jove! that would be a mix-up, wouldn't 
 it! I hadn't thought of that at all." He 
 dropped down on a chair and looked at her 
 hopelessly. 
 
 Did Flodie see, at the prospect of such an 
 entanglement, a faint hope for her own 
 chances? Certainly her face, for a moment, 
 lighted; her voice trembled with a new tone. 
 Certainly her whole demeanor changed. The 
 innocence of the dove had altered to the guile 
 of the serpent. It was any one, now, to beat 
 Mrs. Royalton. Flodie foresaw that Carolyn 
 Dallys alone could help her. Yes, he must 
 propose to Carolyn. Her voice came art- 
 fully smooth and sweet. 
 
 "Oh, I expect you can get out of it some 
 way, can't you?" 
 
 "I've simply got to, that's all!" 
 
 "You could hatch up a quarrel, couldn't 
 you — ^perhaps you could tell her something 
 horrid — or do something — well, you know!" 
 
 "Or you could. Couldn't you, Flodie? 
 You've helped me out before. You're clever. 
 You know women." 
 
 71 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie was a new creature, now. The 
 primitive woman in her was aroused. She 
 smiled — but it was so unlike Flodie's sunny- 
 smile — it was electric. She nodded sagely. 
 
 "Well, then, I'll take a chance, anyway. 
 Lord, I think I've got a right to make as 
 good a choice as I can, if I have to be mar- 
 ried to order! I don't see why I should ruin 
 my whole life just because I happened to see 
 Mrs. Royalton first! You tell Carolyn I'm 
 all ready." 
 
 Flodie nodded, with a hard look in her 
 eyes. "All right," she said slowly, and gulped 
 something down. "It's your funeral!" She 
 walked slowly back to the office and gave 
 Miss Dallys the message, then sat down dis- 
 mally at her desk and hid her face in her 
 hands. Steadily the tears dropped down up- 
 on the blotter; at regular intervals Flodie's 
 shoulders rose and fell as her emotion swayed 
 her. She began to dab at her eyes with her 
 handkerchief. 
 
 Carolyn Dallys, lithe, free, long-legged, 
 walked into the studio with easy unconscious- 
 72 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ness. "Hello, Hall!" There was always a 
 half -concealed chuckle in her voice. "Got 
 those proofs ready, old man? Darn you if 
 you haven't!" 
 
 "I'm awfully sorry, Carolyn, but I haven't 
 had quite time, yet. I haven't had a minute !" 
 
 Carolyn shrugged her shoulders. "Isn't 
 that Hall Bonistelle all over? I thought so! 
 Well, see here. Hall Bonistelle, if you didn't 
 happen to be the best photographer in town, 
 you'd never see me here again!" Still, she 
 smiled. 
 
 "Really, Carolyn, I've been awfully rushed, 
 I haven't had a — something very important 
 came up to-day." 
 
 "Oh, you can cut all that out. Hall. The 
 simple reason is you're lazy. And I'd just 
 begun to believe that the little girl out there," 
 she nodded her head toward the office, "had 
 succeeded in making you work. Well, never 
 mind, I can go somewhere else." 
 
 ','Oh, come now! They'll be ready to- 
 night, I promise you. Perhaps this after- 
 noon, even. The fact is, I just haven't 
 71 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 been in the mood to develop the plates, that's 
 all." 
 
 She nodded, smiling. "Artistic tempera- 
 ment, eh? Well, it's becoming! I suppose 
 I'll have to wait. Say, who's in there?" She 
 pointed to the dressing-room door. 
 
 "There? Oh, Mrs. Royalton. She's just 
 had a sitting." 
 
 "Oh, Rena? That's funny. We've just 
 had a little scrap. I think I won, though." 
 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 "Oh, you're the matter, — in a way. Don't 
 get conceited, now, it wasn't so serious as 
 that. She seemed to have an idea that she 
 was the only one invited to your party, and 
 when she found I was coming to-night, she 
 was just a bit — well, asteistic." 
 
 Hall saw his chance and opened the cam- 
 paign with energy. "Lord, the idea!" he 
 exclaimed. "As if I wouldn't have you if 
 I had anybody! Why, you always are the 
 first one I ask, Carolyn, you know that!" He 
 turned on sentimental lights in his eyes. 
 
 "Really?" Carolyn asked curiously. 
 74 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Of course! You know I'm awfully fond 
 of you, Carolyn." \ 
 
 "Really?" Carolyn repeated, her lips be- 
 ginning to quiver with mirth. 
 
 "Yes, by jove, I'd hardly dare tell you 
 how much." 
 
 "Oh, do!" she replied lightly. "I'm feel- 
 ing awfully stodgy this morning, it might 
 wake me up." She tossed him a joyous 
 glance and swung herself over to the other 
 side of the studio and fingered a piece of 
 embroidery. "Fire away, I'm waiting!" she 
 laughed. Then she whistled a piece of a 
 tune, picked up a color plate and squinted 
 at it. "Lord, how I hate baby pictures — 
 especially those naked ones!" She inspected 
 another. "Pretty good," she said, "who is 
 it?" She reached for another. "Oh, look at 
 that! That model of yours, isn't it? Miss 
 Gale? Bully! What a stunning costume!" 
 She stood inspecting it. 
 
 Hall, meanwhile, was watching her sharp- 
 ly. He noted the trimness of her costume, 
 the freshness of the huge bunch of violets, 
 75 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 the whiteness of her gloves, her picturesque, 
 expensive hat. She was so at ease, so inde- 
 pendent and unconscious, that it was as if 
 some wild animal had entered his studio. 
 How well she knew her world, how conscious 
 she was of her superiority over most of those 
 she met, her equality with any ! She had con- 
 summate poise; her self-esteem never waned. 
 It was, he knew, the effect of her income, of 
 her position, her caste, rather than any in- 
 herent power in herself — but it served to 
 mark her as one of the elect. Carolyn could 
 afford to do anything — she was sure of her 
 place. She could use slang or profanity, or 
 misspell her words and not be ashamed, she 
 could associate with the common herd and 
 not lose prestige. She breathed the smart- 
 ness, culture and self-sufificiency of her social 
 sphere; it protected her like an armor. It 
 was as if, being Carolyn Dallys, she was 
 insured against any form of embarrassment; 
 Carolyn was neither particularly clever nor 
 very rich, but she was "inside," and those 
 "inside" have freedom. Hall himself had 
 76 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 been, in his time, "inside" — he had, in fact, 
 despite his working for a sustenance, never 
 been ejected. His own family could stand the 
 strain. He knew, therefore, how to appre- 
 ciate Carolyn's place. Mrs. Royalton was in 
 the "smart" set — the set that gets into the 
 newspapers, — but Carolyn Dallys still lived 
 on Lower Fifth Avenue. She was one of 
 the foundation stones in the social structure 
 of which Mrs. Royalton was a more con- 
 spicuous pinnacle. 
 
 Hall had gone into a momentary reverie. 
 In that day-dream he had already lived three 
 years with Carolyn, traveled abroad, even to 
 Constantinople, had seen her entertain grand 
 dukes on his yacht, had fought two or three 
 duels with offensive Italian officers on her 
 account. They had ridden horseback up Cal- 
 ifornia caiions. Just now they were back in 
 New York. There was even a little Hall 
 Bonistelle 
 
 "Here! Wake up!" 
 
 He was suddenly jerked back into the pre- 
 sent, with Carolyn now seated on a couch, 
 "77 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 impatiently staring at him. He smiled self- 
 consciously. 
 
 "What's the matter with you. Hall?" she 
 asked, looking at him queerly. "You haven't 
 got a hang-over or anything, have you? I 
 didn't think you doped." 
 
 He laughed nervously. "I suppose you 
 fascinate me, Carolyn." 
 
 She gave a whoop of joy. "Me, uncle?" 
 She pointed inquiringly at her breast. "Say, 
 Hall, old chap, pass the molasses. We women 
 just eat it up, you know! Makes us fat. I 
 need a lot of it. Exit headache!" 
 
 This was hopeless for Hall. He must get 
 serious, or there would be no managing a 
 proposal. Or, perhaps — ^her manner gave him 
 the cue — ^wouldn't she be more amenable to 
 a humorous offer? "Try it!" said his intui- 
 tion. He walked up to her. 
 
 "Carolyn, see here, how would you like 
 it if you thought I'd lain awake all last night 
 thinking about you — yes, and the night be- 
 fore, and all last week!" 
 
 "Fine ! I feel better already. Too good to 
 78 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 be true, though. Did you, really?" She 
 rumpled his hair affectionately. 
 
 "I certainly did. The fact is, Carolyn, 
 I'm in a bad way about you. Don't you 
 recognize the symptoms? You must have 
 seen lots of victims." 
 
 "Oh," she returned, leaning back easily, 
 "they are all the time shooting themselves on 
 my door-step, and all that, you know, but 
 I never identify the remains. They say it's 
 awfully tragic to die of love." 
 
 It was hard sailing in such a breeze, but 
 Hall rose to the occasion. "It isn't dying 
 for love that I'm thinking of, just at present, 
 it's living for it. The fact is, I'm pretty 
 desperate about you, Carolyn." 
 
 Carolyn winked. "Easy, now — easy!" she 
 said calmly. 
 
 "That's right though! I've got a case of 
 Carolyn Dallys good and plenty. It's begun 
 to hurt, girl; d'you know it?" 
 
 Carolyn rose, yawning. "Oh, well, if you're 
 going to be silly. Hall, I think I'd better be 
 going. How about these proofs, anyway?" 
 79 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY ^ 
 
 "Proofs be darned! You're not going! — 
 not till I settle this thing. Shall I bare my 
 breast and let you give it the stroke, smiling? 
 Or do you prefer to administer an opiate?" 
 
 He dropped the mock-heroic pose and took 
 up the blunt-sincere. He walked over to her 
 and took her hand. She had no objections 
 whatever, apparently. "Carolyn, it's an hon- 
 est fact, I want you!" 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle, am I really to understand 
 that you are proposing to me?" Carolyn smil- 
 ingly looked him in the eye. 
 
 "Oh, I suppose you think it's a joke, just 
 because I don't speak in blank verse." 
 
 "Well, I'll be darned! I believe the man's 
 serious !" 
 
 She said nothing for a moment, narrowing 
 her eyes and looking at him with the same 
 amused tolerant expression. Then she spoke: 
 "Well, Hall, it strikes me you must be pretty 
 sure of me to do it in a two-step, like this. 
 Why, usually they crawl all over the carpet." 
 
 Hall interrupted her: "Oh, don't, Carolyn! 
 Please don't!" 
 
 80 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Carolyn's face changed. "You don't 
 actually mean it, honey?" she asked anxious- 
 ly, putting a hand on his arm. 
 
 "Mean it! Why, Carolyn, of course I 
 mean it! It's no use, I can't make it theatri- 
 cal. You have a sense of humor; so have I. 
 Perhaps a girl ought to be entitled to a little 
 fireworks on such an occasion — or even poetry 
 — I'll try it if you insist, you know — but, 
 somehow, I can't take myself so seriously." 
 She withdrew her hand frowning. "Oh, that 
 doesn't mean that I don't take you seriously, 
 Carolyn, or rather that I don't want to — 
 I mean — confound it, I'm not conceited 
 enough to convince myself that I'm even a 
 little bit worth your while." 
 
 "Well, then, try to convince me, why 
 don't you?" 
 
 "That's what I'm trying to do, girl! Lord, 
 Carolyn, there's no use in your not believing; 
 you must believe it! I want you something 
 fierce, really I do! I want you the way a 
 little kid wants ice-cream — ^the way a girl 
 
 ■\vants a new Easter hat " 
 
 81 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Heavens, is it really as bad as that?" She 
 turned away. "Oh, Hall, really, you know, 
 you're too ridiculous!" 
 
 "Oh, I'm the clown with the dying baby, 
 all right. I laugh and joke while my heart 
 is breaking. Lord, I'm as merry as a man 
 with a broken leg. I just plain want to marry 
 you, Carolyn, that's all. Is that so hard to 
 understand? Try and get it through your 
 head, will you? I want to so bad that I'm 
 making a fool of myself. Why the deuce 
 don't you laugh?" 
 
 But Carolyn's smile had died. She only 
 nodded and shook hands with him. "Say, 
 Hall, you're all right!" she said, blushing 
 slightly. "Heavens, I never thought you 
 could do it like that and get away with it. 
 Come over here and sit down. We'll talk it 
 over." She led him to the couch. He fol- 
 lowed her with docility, and sat down beside 
 her. 
 
 "Now," she announced, "let's begin over 
 again. I'm not sure I get you. I had no 
 idea you were really in earnest, honest! If 
 82 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you have anything important to say to me, 
 Hall Bonistelle, I'll give you just five minutes 
 of my valuable time." 
 
 He looked at her soberly. "Will you marry 
 me, Carolyn?" 
 
 She looked him full in the eyes and opened 
 her lips to answer 
 
 "Are you busy, Mr. Bonistelle?" Mrs. 
 Royalton's voice sailed through the studio. 
 
 Hall jumped up. "Why — no! Not exact- 
 ly — ^that is, I'm trying to get a portrait 
 of " 
 
 "Oh, Carolyn!" Mrs. Royalton saw her, 
 now, and took a few steps into the room. 
 "Oh, I beg your pardon. I'm awfully sorry! 
 I didn't mean to interrupt, really." 
 
 "Hello, Rena!" Carolyn was up, nonchal- 
 ant and unembarrassed. 
 
 "Why, Carolyn," said Mrs. Royalton, look- 
 ing her over curiously. "What a color you 
 have, my dear!" 
 
 Carolyn buckled on her armor for a 
 feminine encounter. "Thanks awfully." She 
 inspected Mrs. Royalton with equal Qoolness, 
 S3 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "I should say you were a bit pale, Rena," she 
 drew nearer, "or else it's — oh, no, I guess 
 not." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, disturbed, took a look at 
 herself in the mirror. "Heavens — I'm afraid 
 I did get a little too much on. There's such 
 a bad light in there, I couldn't see what I 
 was doing." She turned to Carolyn for an- 
 other stare. "What's the matter, anyway, 
 Carolyn? Aren't you feeling well, or have 
 you heard bad news? Oh, I hope there's 
 nothing wrong!" 
 
 "Why," said Carolyn, "that's funny. I 
 thought I was looking particularly well to- 
 day. Mr. Bonistelle has just been compli- 
 menting me about it." 
 
 "Oh, of course! I know how photogra- 
 phers have to flatter." Mrs. Royalton swal- 
 lowed it hard, and proceeded reflectively: 
 "I suppose it was your gown, perhaps. I 
 don't see why in the world you wear black, 
 Carolyn. It makes one look so old!" 
 
 "That is precisely why I do wear it. / 
 can afford to. In ten years I won't be able 
 84 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 to wear black. What's the use of being 
 young, if you can't take advantage of it?" 
 
 "Well, that is true, isn't it! Oh, I suppose 
 we all feel young. But when a woman gets 
 to our age, my dear, we have to do all sorts 
 of pretending;" 
 
 Carolyn stabbed her with a look. "When 
 we get to whatf" 
 
 "Why, 'our age' I said. Yours and mine." 
 
 "I'm growing up awfully fast!" Carolyn 
 replied sarcastically, shaking her head. "Am 
 I your age, already, Rena?" 
 
 "Oh, I always think of you as — ^well, you 
 know — one sees you about so much with the 
 young married set, and all that." She offered 
 her hand and a deep meaning look to Hall. 
 "Well, I won't interrupt you, Mr. Bonistelle. 
 I hope you'll get some good pictures' of me. 
 Good-by, Carolyn!" She paused and gazed at 
 the girl critically. "Why, you're not going 
 to have your picture taken in that hat, are 
 you?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. It'll do all right. Everybody's 
 got a purple hat, this season, and I want to 
 85 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 be different." Mrs. Royalton's hat, it will 
 be recalled, was purple. 
 
 "Why, I think that hat's great!" said Hall 
 innocently, gazing at Carolyn critically. He 
 felt uncomfortable at having both prospective 
 fiancees together, but of the duel that was 
 being waged he knew nothing. 
 
 "You see, men do like it," said Carolyn 
 sweetly. 
 
 "Oh, men! Men like white muslins and 
 blue sashes, too!" said Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Why don't you try it?" Carolyn asked, 
 looking at Mrs. Royalton's plump charms. 
 "I think you'd look lovely in white muslin!" 
 She laughed gaily. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton shook her finger. "You 
 look out, my dear, I wouldn't laugh so hard 
 if I were you! That's what puts those 
 wrinkles in your forehead!" 
 
 Carolyn rose demurely, and marched up 
 close to Hall. "Look, Mr. Bonistelle," she 
 said, turning up her face, "see my wrinkles! 
 Aren't they awful? Just look at the crow's 
 feet!" 
 
 86 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "I don't see a single wrinkle," said Hall, 
 surprised. "Why, your skin is like a child's." 
 
 "Lord, I'm so tired of being young!" she 
 replied, . with a mischievous look at Mrs. 
 Royalton. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton took it up, appropriated the 
 compliment, beamed. "Yes, I'm so tired of 
 hearing men say, 'How young you look!' — 
 aren't you, Carolyn?" 
 
 "They don't say it to me, my dear; they 
 say, 'How young you are!'" She sent her 
 rival a direct glance, and walked back to the 
 couch. There she sat down and wiggled her 
 feet in front of her, gleefully. 
 
 "Well!" Mrs. Royalton turned slowly to- 
 ward the door. "You always were eccentric, 
 Carolyn." Then to Hall: "You'll have those 
 proofs for me to-day, sometime, won't you? 
 I'll see you to-night, anyway!" She sent 
 him another meaning look, and as he ofifered 
 his hand, clasped it with a soft prolonged 
 squeeze. "Isn't that girl a little rowdy, 
 though !" she whispered. Then aloud : "Good- 
 by, Carolyn! I know how you just love to 
 8Z 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 have your photograph taken, so I'll fly!" And 
 before Carolyn could get in another shot, the 
 door had closed. 
 
 Hall came back to Carolyn, to find her 
 chuckling. "Poor old Rena," she said, "she 
 isn't up in the art of mud-slinging. Didn't 
 she get daubed up, though! Well, they say 
 she's perfectly crazy to get married. I sup- 
 pose she was jealous. What were we talking 
 about when we were interrupted. Hall? I 
 forgot." She smiled wickedly. 
 
 Hall, not a little upset by the encounter, 
 collected his wits. He found his steam had 
 gone down considerably; he would have to 
 work himself up to it all over again. But 
 he was game. The memory of the four 
 millions inspired him, and Carolyn's defense 
 had subtly suggested her best points. In- 
 dubitably she was young. Mrs. Royalton 
 now seemed to him humorously too old for 
 him. He looked at Carolyn with new inter- 
 est. 
 
 "Don't tease me any more, Carolyn," he 
 implored. "Give me my answer!" 
 88 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Answer to what?" She stared at him 
 wide-eyed. 
 
 "Oh, I suppose you are so accustomed to 
 being proposed to that you forget about it 
 the moment it's over; but really, Carolyn, 
 I'm in earnest. I want you. This is the 
 most important thing that has ever happened 
 to me. If you don't accept me, — I don't 
 know what I'll do. It will ruin me. Caro- 
 lyn, will you say yes?" 
 
 She shook her head. "No, Hall, I won't." 
 
 "God, isn't there any chance for me? I 
 love you, Carolyn! Don't you believe it?" 
 
 "No, Hall, frankly, I don't!" 
 
 "Carolyn, don't play with me, please. I 
 won't take no for an answer, I tell you. I've 
 got to have you. Don't you care for me at 
 all, Carolyn?" 
 
 Carolyn looked him over again and said, 
 "Oh, yes," with a drawl. "Why shouldn't 
 I? You're good-looking — and clever — and — 
 oh, all sorts of things. Yes, I like you all 
 right." 
 
 "Then why can't you say " 
 
 89 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "For heaven's sake, Hall, you know you 
 can't rush a thing like this ; why, it isn't done ! 
 Give me time to think. I should think I was 
 being knocked down at an auction. 'Going, 
 going, gone!' A girl wants to — ^well, you 
 know — ^why, you musn't cheat me out of a 
 whole courtship. Hall! You ought to dangle 
 for months!" 
 
 "I'll be damned if I dangle!" he replied 
 sullenly. 
 
 "Well, if you won't of course I can't make 
 you; if you will rush on to your doom. Only, 
 in that case you'll have to take a refusal. 
 Well, we'll still be friends, and all that sort 
 of thing!" 
 
 "Oh, don't guy me, Carolyn. I've got to 
 know — immediately. Don't say no!" 
 
 "Trying to take me by storm, eh? No 
 use. Hall, old chap!" 
 
 Hall jumped up scowling. "Then it's no?" 
 
 "See here. Hall, don't be silly. Let me 
 get my breath, won't you? Give me a little 
 time to decide. Really, you know, you are 
 forcing it horribly." 
 
 90 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "How much time do you want?" 
 
 "How much do I get?" 
 
 "Till — can you make up your mind by to- 
 night?" 
 
 "Oh, I say, you are in a hurry! If I 
 can't, then I suppose my option expires?" 
 
 "Oh, don't take it that way — only — ^hang 
 it, I just can't wait." 
 
 Carolyn rose and smoothed down her dress. 
 "At midnight, then — as the clock in the old 
 belfry strikes the fatal hour?" She struck 
 an attitude. 
 
 "Oh, not midnight — no, let's see — earlier 
 than that — I can't possibly wait till midnight, 
 you know. Sometime in the evening. You're 
 coming to my party, of course." 
 
 "I suppose I'll have to, to bring my answer. 
 You seem to want me to do most of the work 
 in this affair." 
 
 Hall looked at her reproachfully. "Oh, 
 come now! You know I've got to be here 
 — I've invited a lot of people." 
 
 "All right, then. I shall run all the way 
 with my hair down, and jump into your lap, 
 91 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall, and whisper 'Yes'— or 'No'— or 'Yes!' " 
 She accented the speech with an absurd ges- 
 ture of her forefinger. 
 
 "I wish you'd take it a little more serious- 
 ly, Carolyn, honestly I do. I tell you it's a 
 mighty serious thing to me!" He shook his 
 head thoughtfully. "Why, it will change 
 my whole life! It will develop me, make me 
 do things I have never done before! It 
 will give me a thousand opportunities I've 
 always wanted " 
 
 Carolyn laid her hand on his arm. "Wait 
 a minute, please!" she said. "I've always 
 known I was an awfully nice girl and all that 
 sort of thing, of course; but I didn't realize 
 I was such a mighty influence in your life. 
 Do you really think that if you marry me 
 it's going to make all that difference to you?" 
 
 "Why, I'll be another person! We'll have 
 a glorious time, Carolyn! We'll travel and 
 we'll go " 
 
 Again she interrupted him. "See here. 
 Hall, I haven't any money; you know that, 
 don't you?" 
 
 92 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 He was properly indignant. "By jove, yoii 
 don't think I'm that kind of a man, do 
 you! I don't care whether you have or not." 
 He waxed properly heroic. "Good lord, 
 Carolyn, do you think I would marry for 
 money?" 
 
 "Well, then, I don't see " 
 
 He looked about the studio fatuously. "Oh, 
 I'll — I'll work hard, you know. I'm sure I 
 can earn enough. In fact I have splendid 
 prospects, Carolyn, really splendid!" 
 
 "Have you?" She seemed more interested. 
 
 "Yes, if everything goes well in the next 
 few — well, in the future, I shall — never 
 mind." He took her hand. "The fact is, 
 Carolyn, you can make me! Will you?" 
 
 She gave him another of her long curious 
 glances through half-closed lids. "You cer- 
 tainly are attractive this morning. Hall. Too 
 darned attractive! I almost believe I'll say 
 yes, after all! But no, I must think it over. 
 I don't want to be hypnotized, you know. 
 Good-by, Hall, I'm going." For a scant 
 moment she paused, hesitating, self-conscious, 
 93 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 as she looked at him with an expression that 
 was seldom seen on her face. Then she took 
 his hand impulsively. "Oh, Hall, dear — I 
 thought it was all a joke at first — just your 
 fooling — ^that's why I was so horrid. But 
 now — " Then, as Hall attempted to draw 
 her nearer she sprang away, once more proud 
 and cynical. "Don't you be too sure of me, 
 though! I may see the funny side of it 
 again, by to-night!" 
 
 "By jove, I don't see how I can wait till 
 then," he replied bravely, encircling her 
 waist. "Say, Carolyn " 
 
 His lips were almost upon hers — not quite. 
 She burst into laughter as she sprang away. 
 "Oh, no. Hall, nothing like that! I've got 
 a long way to go, my dear, before I'm ready 
 for the bunny-hug! You go to work, and 
 let me ponder. Fare-thee-well !" Then, 
 without waiting for an answer, she floated 
 out of the studio. 
 
 In the office she came face to face with 
 Flodie. Carolyn stopped and looked at her 
 keenly. 
 
 94 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Why, Miss Fisher," she said, "you ought 
 to get some fresh air, d'you know it? You 
 need a change. You're so pale." Her intent 
 was kinder than was her similar remark to 
 Mrs. Royalton, but to poor little Flodie, who 
 had waited in agony for her to leave, it was 
 infuriating. She looked up, with her white 
 face still whiter. 
 
 "I'm so sorry I frightened you!" Flodie 
 gave a sarcastic smile. 
 
 Carolyn stopped, as surprised as if a woolly 
 lamb had bitten her. She looked Flodie up, 
 she looked Flodie down. Then merrily she 
 laughed. "Good for you! Always speak up, 
 little one! Be bright and pleasant. It makes 
 customers like you!" 
 
 Flodie met her smile for smile. "Thank 
 you so much! And now, would you mind 
 telling me how to like customers?" 
 
 Carolyn laughed again. "Well," she said, 
 "I may not be a customer very long. And 
 then perhaps you'll like me!" 
 
 Flodie bounced her fountain pen down on 
 the desk and jumped up, eyes snapping. Into 
 95 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 the studio she walked. Hall was heading for 
 the dark room; she stopped him with a tragic 
 "Well?" 
 
 "What d'you think!" he answered. "She 
 wants to think it over, too!" 
 
 "She didn't accept you, really?" Flodie 
 gasped. 
 
 "No, took it as a joke. Liked it, though. 
 What the purple deuce am I going to do?" 
 He looked at his watch. "Here it is nearly 
 eleven o'clock already, and nothing decided 
 yet! Why, I daren't even buy a ring!" 
 
 At the word, Flodie gave a sudden gasp, 
 and her hand flew to her heart. "Oh, I wish 
 I could help you !" she sighed. 
 
 He smiled patronizingly and nodded. "Yes, 
 I wish you could!" He started for the door 
 of the dark room and paused. "You can't 
 recommend any one else, can you, Flodie? 
 If I could only find some one who would say 
 'yes' and have it over, I could go right 
 ahead!" 
 
 She gave him such a look! But the hope- 
 lessness of it kept her dumb. Down went her 
 96 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 eyes to shut the tears out; Flodie turned! 
 away, pretending that it was absolutely neces- 
 sary that the Spanish chair be moved two 
 inches to the right. 
 
 "Say, Flo, you think up some way to beat 
 this game, will you?" With that, Hall shut 
 himself into the dark room. 
 
 Into the chair Flodie sank, staring at space, 
 deep in thought. Her fingers worked to- 
 gether nervously, her brow was puckered. 
 How blind men were! Deaf and dumb and 
 Wind and half-witted! She could not offer 
 herself, she loved him too well. Oh, never 
 until to-day did she realize how much Hall 
 meant to her! Now to lose him! — oh, if 
 he were really in love she might bear it! 
 — but to have him to go like this — look at 
 every one and not see her! — it was insulting 
 — she felt numb at the cheapness, the degra- 
 dation of it. No, she was helpless — the 
 greater the opportunity the less could she 
 avail herself of it. But wasn't there any 
 way of showing him, she wondered ; couldn't 
 ghe make him feel her? Surely she couldn't 
 97 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 amount to much, after all, if she had so little 
 magnetism, but she felt drugged and help- 
 less. Her wits were going. 
 
 Suddenly she sat up and looked round 
 toward the office. She was keenly alive 
 again, immediately. If love made her stupid 
 and sluggish, hate could revive her. Rosa- 
 mund Gale! The sight of her stung Flodie 
 like a whip. Here she was again, now, of 
 all times, when everything was askew, Rosa- 
 mund Gale, the professional model, Rosa- 
 mund the beautiful, Rosamund the arrogant, 
 the spoiled! Flodie disliked her, from her 
 hair to her heels, disliked her name, her man- 
 ners, her reputation, and, most of all, her 
 photographs. Hall Bonistelle used her often 
 for his commercial pictures which he sold 
 for advertisements, for magazine covers, for 
 art supplements. "Spring" — Miss Gale in 
 damp cheese-cloth with apple blossoms; "The 
 Suffragette" — Miss Gale in tailor-made suit, 
 gesticulating; and so on — Flodie always 
 slapped the prints angrily with an irritated 
 "ChooC before she put them away. Sh§ 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 would have been glad to slap Rosamund. 
 Hall posed her, arranged draperies, touched 
 her hair, moved her hands — all exquisite 
 agony for Flodie. 
 
 "Say, Where's Hall?" Rosamund made a 
 picture of herself in the doorway. Golden 
 fair, highly colored, picturesque, even volup- 
 tuous, always in striking original costumes 
 daringly "artistic," Rosamund, with all her 
 dimples, her curls, her "lines," and her 
 strange colors let Flodie have the full dis- 
 concerting effect of her beauty. She had 
 the air of one who is quite used to being 
 stared at and admired. 
 
 Flodie rose, her face set. "Mr. Bonistelle 
 is busy. Miss Gale," she said, and walked 
 toward the office, as if to brush the visitor 
 back. 
 
 Rosamund, however, would recognize no 
 mere menial; she swept into the studio as 
 if she owned the place. "All right, I'll 
 hang round a while till he's free. Say, Miss 
 Fisher, fish me out a couple of those last 
 poses, will you? I want to give one to a 
 99. 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 gentleman friend. Here — take this boa out 
 there and hang it up, while you're going, 
 d'you mind?" 
 
 "Oh, certainly!" said Flodie, took the boa 
 and — an apparent accident — dropped it. 
 Rosamund made an angry gesture. "Oh, 
 pardon me, I'm so careless," said Flodie. 
 Then carrying it artfully, so that a full foot 
 of it dragged along the floor, she marched 
 out of the studio, chin up. 
 
 Rosamund looked about for a cigarette, 
 and found a box on a tabouret. "Oh, Miss 
 Fisher!" she sang, "bring me a match, will 
 you?" Then she yawned, and threw herself 
 lazily on the couch. She began to whistle. 
 
 Flodie had once said that Rosamund, as 
 an artist's model, combined for men the at- 
 tractions of a widow and a maid — ^youth and 
 experience. Despite Flodie's private opinions, 
 however, Rosamund's name was still uncon- 
 nected with scandal; she was sufficiently 
 discreet to avoid that. Rosamund made a 
 fine distinction between artists' and photog- 
 raphers' models, and claimed infinite superj- 
 100 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 orlty for her own position, getting all that 
 was picturesque and nothing of the disrepute. 
 She was no chorus girl, never drank, and 
 lived at a sort of woman's hotel — avoided, 
 in short, anything that women like Flodie 
 would have been too glad to point at with 
 scornful finger. Flodie, however, used more 
 than her eyes and ears by which to judge 
 women. She observed so subtly, so keenly, 
 that few escaped her discernment. She would 
 have been hard put to it to explain just why 
 she disliked Rosamund. The last thing she 
 would have wanted to admit was that Rosa- 
 mund attracted men. 
 
 Flodie, returning, noticed that Rosamund 
 showed too much silk stocking, also that 
 one stocking had begun to "run." She 
 noticed that Rosamund's shirt-waist was not 
 quite fresh, noticed that her nails, though 
 highly polished, were not absolutely, — well 
 — chaste. One heel was a bit run over; her 
 moonstone ring needed cleaning; lace, part 
 real and part imitation; eyebrows length- 
 ened a little with the pencil; tiny rip in her 
 101 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 glove. There was nothing an ordinary man 
 would have seen, nothing that would have 
 hurt, for him, the whole effect, even had he 
 seen it; but Flodie saw and damned and said 
 no word. 
 
 "Here are the matches. Miss Gale. I'll 
 look up the prints this afternoon, when I 
 have more time." 
 
 "Oh, thanks. Have a cig?" Rosamund 
 held them up impertinently. "Oh, don't 
 you smoke?" Very sarcastic was Rosa- 
 mund's tone. "No, you don't look it, 
 exactly." She laughed easily, confident of 
 her own superior appearance. 
 
 "I hardly think it will pay to wait," 
 Flodie said, turning uneasily. "Mr. Bonis- 
 telle is awfully busy to-day. I can send you 
 the prints, of course." 
 
 "Don't bother. I'll just wait and see what 
 he says about it, if you don't mind. Miss 
 Fisher. Sometimes, you know, he likes to 
 see me, quite aside from business. Don't 
 let me keep you. I won't steal anything." 
 Her drawl was infinitely insulting. 
 102 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie regarded her coldly. "Oh, I'm ex- 
 pecting a lady in here any minute, now, 
 that's all. Mr. Bonistelle might " 
 
 Rosamund waved her hand. "I'll skip 
 out when she comes. That's all right. Don't 
 mind me!" 
 
 Flodie sought wildly for a return shot, 
 loaded, aimed and fired. "Oh, Miss Gale, 
 you know that last set of poses Mr. Bonis- 
 telle took of you? Why, he couldn't sell 
 them to any one. Isn't it too bad? Nobody 
 seemed to like them at all. I thought they 
 were lovely, and I don't see why they 
 wouldn't make fine magazine covers — you 
 know how crazy they are for those silly girl 
 pictures — but all the editors thought they 
 were a little bit too — ^well, I forget how 
 they described it. It's a shame! All those 
 photographs taken for nothing! Unless, of 
 course, they might do for advertisements." 
 
 "I want to know!" said Rosamund, with 
 lively sarcasm. She lighted another match 
 on her sole. "Well, I wonder why he does- 
 n't use you for a model. Miss Fisher? They'd 
 103 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 be sure to sell, and it would save lots of 
 money, I should think." 
 
 "Oh, he does, occasionally, when he wants 
 something especially subtle." Flodie tried 
 to look like the Mona Lisa. 
 
 "Especially what?" Rosamund burst out 
 laughing. 
 
 Flodie's lips grew white; it would not 
 take much more to make her cry. "Oh, I'd 
 hardly expect you to understand," she man- 
 aged to say, and turned to go. 
 
 "Oh, I understand you all right, I guess. 
 Say, what are all those fancy evergreen 
 wreaths doing out in the office, anyway?" 
 She was blowing rings very prettily. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle is going to have a 
 party to-night." 
 
 "That so? Why, he didn't tell me any- 
 thing about it!" 
 
 "No, it's only for his customers and inti- 
 mate friends, the smart set, mostly." 
 
 "Really? I'll have to ask him about that. 
 I'd like awfully to see what they're like." 
 She examined her finger nails. "I believe 
 I'll come." 
 
 104 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "I'm sorry, but the invitations were all 
 sent out over a week ago. Miss Gale." 
 
 "Mine must have been addressed wrong." 
 
 "I don't think I ever make that kind of 
 a mistake." 
 
 "No," said Rosamund deliberately, "the 
 mistake you make is in supposing that you 
 run this place." 
 
 Flodie eyed her. "Well, you set me such 
 a good example, you know. Miss Gale — real- 
 ly " 
 
 The door opened, and Hall came out of 
 the dark room blinking. 
 
 "Hello, Hall! How's the boy?" said Rosa- 
 mund, and rearranged her pose quickly and 
 deftly. 
 
 Exit Flodie, to dry her eyes in the office 
 — to swear her innocent little "Darn it all, 
 anyway!" to wait and wonder, to worry and 
 grow ever more fearful, as the voices 
 reached her ears. 
 
 Hall's face lighted as he saw Rosamund. 
 
 Despite defects of detail, Rosamund, so 
 
 nonchalantly posed, so fair and flashing, 
 
 animate with youth and confidence, was, as 
 
 105 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ever, a picture in which he rejoiced. She 
 had none of Carolyn's severe, clean-cut boy- 
 ishness, none of the fulness of Mrs. Royal- 
 ton's aristocratic maturity. Flodie was right, 
 Rosamimd's charm was doubly provocative 
 in its freshness and its spicy flavor. She 
 was a young woman admirably made for 
 men to yearn for, to kiss and care for; a 
 woman with all the old cheap lures, but 
 none so cheap but that tempted men would 
 make fools of themselves and enter the easy 
 trap. She was a woman that women would 
 always shun, and men fight for, love, — ^and 
 abandon. 
 
 Hall looked at her, and her beauty sank 
 deep into him. A golden tendril of hair in 
 front of her ear caught his glance; and 
 thence to the saucy frolicsome dimple in her 
 cheek, the little uplifted corner of her deli- 
 cate mouth, her white even teeth, the straight 
 line of her nose, her finely-drawn eyebrows, 
 to her violet-blue eyes, his quick glance travel- 
 ed reveling. He did not speak till: "By jove, 
 I'd like to take you in that pose!" 
 106 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 She, of course, immediately changed it to 
 prove her lack of vanity, but fell into an- 
 other as artful. Well she knew her trade. 
 
 "Oh, lord, don't talk shop all the time," 
 she said. "I'm just calling. I've been posing 
 for three hours Mrith Deerfield, and I'm all 
 in. For heaven's sake let me sit where I 
 can't see a camera. Say, Hall, how about 
 this party to-night? You're not trying to 
 cut me out, are you?" She went up to him, 
 took him by the two lapels of his coat, 
 showed her teeth, and with her eyes, dared 
 him to touch her. 
 
 He ran his hand through his hair. "By 
 jove," he replied slowly, "didn't you get an 
 invitation? Miss Fisher must have forgotten 
 it." 
 
 She made a little gesture of reproach. "Oh, 
 of course, if you didn't want me — ^you know. 
 Hall, I never butt in. Never mind!" Pout- 
 ing prettily, she turned away. 
 
 "Why, of course I want you to come!" 
 What else could Hall say? But indeed, 
 looking upon her, he meant it now. "Say, 
 107 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you're devilish pretty, did you know it? I've 
 never seen you look so well!" Was it his 
 thought of marriage that gave her a new 
 interest, or was it that she was to-day really 
 more picturesque than usual? Hall didn't 
 stop to wonder about it; he knew, only, 
 that the girl was troublesomely, provoca- 
 tively beautiful — she had warmth, and fire 
 and style, not Carolyn's cool modish con- 
 formity, but a real originality, such as 
 painters love. She knew how to move, she 
 had life — and she was irresistibly feminine 
 — that was it, she was most deliciously a 
 woman. She made Carolyn seem homely 
 and coltish — she made Mrs. Royalton, with 
 all her sentimentality, look matronly, staid, 
 sedate. 
 
 Rosamund needed no more of an invita- 
 tion. "Well," she said comfortably, "if you 
 really want me, I'll promise to make some of 
 that smart bunch of yours look like wash- 
 women and that's no myth, either. Say, 
 Hall, I've got a new dress I'm dying to have 
 you see — smart as pepper! It's some rag, 
 believe me! Can I go the limit?" She cir- 
 108 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 cled her corsage, indicating a daringly Ibw- 
 cut neck. 
 
 He laughed and nodded. "Oh, you can 
 get away with anything in the way of 
 clothes. By jove, you'd look all right in 
 jumper and overalls." 
 
 "Good idea! Let's try it some time! 
 Queen of the Bricklayers." She struck a 
 graceful attitude. 
 
 "Lord, you are pretty!" Hall said medi- 
 tatively, watching her. 
 
 She gave him a look, caught a new ex- 
 pression on his face, and proceeded to work 
 it up. Her first step was to say reflectively, 
 as she cast down her golden lashes, "Say, 
 Hall, I don't know — I guess I'd better not 
 come to-night, though, after all." 
 
 This succeeded so well that Hall's face 
 grew worried. "Why not?" he asked. 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know. I don't believe you 
 want me." 
 
 "Of course I want you, Rosamund!" He 
 went up to her and tried to take her hand. 
 "Do come, — ^please!" 
 
 109 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "No," she drew away from him pettishly. 
 "I'm not coming. I've decided." Rosamund 
 flung herself down on the couch. 
 
 Of course he followed her. "Now, Rosa- 
 mund, see here!" This time he succeeded 
 in getting her hand. "You've simply got 
 to come. Why, you'll make that crowd stare! 
 There isn't one of them that can come any 
 where near you, for looks. I'll be awfully 
 proud of you." 
 
 Pleased at his ardor, she gave way a little. 
 "Do you really want me?" 
 
 "Sure, I do. Awfully." 
 
 "Why?" Her hand moved in his, with the 
 slightest possible caress. She put something 
 into her blue eyes that made them burn with 
 tenderness. 
 
 Hall drew her gently toward him, and 
 whispered. "Come over here, and I'll tell 
 you." 
 
 She hesitated a second, then permitted a 
 
 closer contact, arranging it so that she could 
 
 look up at him dreamily. "Well, what?" 
 
 Now her eyes went down. Her fingers 
 
 110 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 worked nervously. Very fine work, for that 
 sort of a girl. 
 
 His arm tightened about her, he drew her 
 head still nearer his. One instant she pro- 
 tested mutely, then, with a sigh she shut 
 her eyes and shivered. Hall kissed her once, 
 twice — thrice. She clutched his hand tightly. 
 
 When she did raise her lids, it was to look 
 at him with big, pleading, wondering eyes. 
 There were tears in them — almost. "What 
 do you want to kiss me for. Hall?" 
 
 He kissed her again. "Why shouldn't I 
 want to?" 
 
 She shook her head sadly. Unresisting, 
 she allowed him to kiss her again. Then, 
 suddenly, she drew away from him. "Is 
 that all you like to see me for, Hall?" The 
 immemorial question in perfect seriousness 
 was asked. 
 
 It being, however, unanswerable. Hall did 
 not answer it. 
 
 Rosamund gently drove in the knife. "Is 
 that the only way you like me?" 
 
 "Oh, of course not." He stirred impa- 
 111 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 tiently. Oh, these women! How uncomfort- 
 able they could make one! 
 
 "Well, I can't come any more, if you do 
 that." Rosamund managed a sad smile — a 
 look far more effective than tears. 
 
 "Oh, nonsense!" he began. 
 
 She put her hand on his again. "No, Hall, 
 it won't do, really. I'm not that kind of 
 a girl at all. And — and I like you too well I" 
 She turned away her head, bit her lip, got 
 out her handkerchief with one hand. 
 
 "Well, if you like me, why not?—" Hall 
 stopped. The ice was getting thin. "Why, 
 that's just why I want to kiss you, Rosa- 
 mund, because I like you, too " 
 
 "Ah, but that's not enough. Hall. It's too 
 dangerous." 
 
 Hall's eyes explored the ceiling. "Why 
 is it dangerous? I don't see why " 
 
 The time had come. She jumped to her 
 feet. "No, Hall, I'm going! I can't ever 
 come here again. You've spoiled everything! 
 It's only fun for you, but — but I — " she 
 choked a sob — "but I can't play at it, that 
 112 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 way!" She turned and walked to tlie win- 
 dow. 
 
 "Oh, I'm sorry,— really." Hall walked to- 
 ward her again. "I didn't mean " 
 
 She turned to him wistfully. "Yes, it's 
 just that — it's that you didn't mean — " It 
 was high time to weep now, and Rosamund 
 did it perfectly. 
 
 Hall had no solution for this. "Rosa- 
 mund — " he exclaimed helplessly. "I didn't 
 think you'd care — mind so much — " 
 
 "Oh, I care too much, I'm afraid," she 
 sobbed, and sat down mournfully, refusing 
 to look at him. 
 
 "You mean — Rosamund!" He stopped, 
 bit his lip and looked at her keenly. Rosa- 
 mund could not be awkward or ridiculous. 
 The dedalian gods had granted her the 
 superb gift of grace. She sat in a limp, 
 dejected but perfectly gi-aceful attitude, a 
 picture of grief and wounded pride. A 
 keener man would have looked for more 
 abandon in her woe, a touch of the gro- 
 tesqueness of despair, something of conving- 
 113 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ing intensity. Perhaps Hall himself, at any 
 other time, when his mind was free, might 
 have had a suspicion that all was not genu- 
 ine. But now he saw only a woman who 
 loved him tenderly, and on whose emotion he 
 had carelessly played. A wave of tender- 
 ness for her swept over him — regret for his 
 having touched her keen nerve; but it was 
 colored, also, with the pride of the male in 
 his conquest. The chase had already excited 
 him. She was there, beautiful and fond, 
 his victim — conquered by his force of person- 
 ality. Try as he might to subdue this base- 
 ness, his egotism rose triumphant over his 
 sympathy. The woman was his! 
 
 Then, with the thought, a lightning flashed 
 in his brain. Here was the thing to do! He 
 must be married before midnight. Why not 
 Rosamund for his bride? She was ready, 
 willing to be won, affectionate, desirous, a 
 beauty whom he could be proud to exhibit 
 as his wife. Mrs. Royalton might give him 
 prestige, introduce him to a smart set, pre- 
 sent him, as her dower, with influence and 
 114 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 position; but where would she |be beside the 
 compelling beauty of Rosamund Gale? Caro- 
 lyn, perhaps, was better fitted to be his mate 
 — she, too, was of the socially elect, and she 
 had youth. Youth? Had not Rosamund 
 the full fragrance of its charms? Carolyn 
 was witty and offhand, sure of herself — she 
 would indubitably rule him. Rosamund, 
 weeping submissive flower, tear-stained as 
 with dew, Rosamund really loved him! If 
 he must marry before he loved, should he 
 not at least take a woman who adored and 
 worshiped at his shrine? The incense al- 
 ready flattered his nostrils. At worst the 
 bargain would be one-sided, but with Caro- 
 lyn or Mrs. Royalton it would have no 
 amorous basis at all — a sheer business trans- 
 action. With Rosamund, indeed, he need 
 hardly pretend — there she was, ripe and 
 luscious, ready to fall into his arms. All this 
 in a whirling instant — then with a swift 
 rush, he had her in his embrace. 
 
 "Rosamund, dear Rosamund!" he ex- 
 claimed softly, "I did mean it — I want you, 
 115 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 dear! Let me love you!" How careful he 
 was to be honest! "I want you — for my 
 wife, Rosamund! I must have you!" He 
 held her tight and close; he liissed her more 
 and more fervently. 
 
 Slowly, slowly, she lifted her blue eyes to 
 his. "Really, Hall? Really?" Smiling 
 through her tears, she nestled close. 
 
 "Really! Will you marry me, Rosamund? 
 You must say 'yes' !" 
 
 "Yes," she said, and breathed a sigh of 
 contentment. 
 
 "Then you do really love me, Rosamund?" 
 Hall asked, after a minute of demonstration. 
 
 "Oh, Hall!" She ran her fingers through 
 his hair. 
 
 Hall had a queer new sensation of pleas- 
 ure. So far he had thought only of his mar- 
 riage and his millions; but, with Rosamund 
 warm and soft in his arms, her hair in his 
 eyes, her heart beating so near — Rosamund 
 had made him forget, for a minute. For the 
 moment, if not in love with her, he was at 
 least fascinated. She set his blood afire, 
 116 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 A flame of passion moved him, and his 
 eagerness was not all dissimulation, when 
 he said: 
 
 "Then we must be mariied immediately! I 
 can't wait, Rosamund. What's the use of 
 being engaged? I want you now — to-day!" 
 
 She sat bolt upright and stared at him 
 with harder and more glittering eyes. "To- 
 day ? What in the world do you mean. 
 Hall Bonistelle?" 
 
 "Why, I'm in a hurry — aren't you?" 
 
 She rose and smoothed down her skirts. 
 "Why, you know. Hall, of course I've got 
 to get ma's consent first, anyway. Naturally. 
 I suppose she'll want to know whether you're 
 able to support me, and all that. Anyway, 
 I've got to ask her." 
 
 "I don't see why," said Hall, crestfallen. 
 
 "Why, Hall! I couldn't marry if ma 
 objected, you know that!" 
 
 "Then you don't love me very much." 
 
 "Hall! The idea! Of course I do. Only, 
 only you see ma was kind of set on my 
 marrying a young fellow who's been rushing 
 117 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 me lately. Of course, I don't know how 
 she'll take this; but — say, Hall, what was 
 that you said once about your uncle, any- 
 way? Wasn't he awfully rich or some- 
 thing? Don't you remember? That day I 
 posed with those glass globes, wasn't it? 
 Seems to me you were telling me something 
 — You don't really have to work, do you?" 
 
 "I'm afraid I do." He looked at her 
 queerly. "Why?" 
 
 "Oh, nothing, only — well, if you did in- 
 herit anything — I don't know — ma's funny, 
 sometimes — it really doesn't matter, but — 
 well, you know I'm crazy about you, in spite 
 of anything, no matter what happens!" 
 
 "When can you find out?" he asked a 
 little angrily. It was maddening, just as he 
 had his millions within reach. For with her 
 consent again the millions beckoned. 
 
 "Oh, I'll speak to her as soon as I can." 
 
 "Will you let me know to-night, Rosa- 
 mund? It's very important." 
 
 "How important? What d'you mean?" 
 
 He took a turn up the room impatiently. 
 118 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, I can't wait. Confound it, you ought 
 to understand, after what's happened." 
 
 "Oh, I don't see that there's any particu- 
 lar hurry. Of course I'd have a lot to do 
 in any case. There's my clothes." 
 
 "Damn your clothes ! I'll get you anything 
 you want after we're married. I'll be well 
 able to afford it." 
 
 "You will?" She eyed him shrewdly. 
 "Oh, well then, I'll go right home and speak 
 to ma. Of course you want it settled, I 
 understand. I tell you, I'll let you know to- 
 night, when I come to the party." 
 
 "Fine! You will come, then?" 
 
 "Of course I'll come! I say, Hall, if ma 
 gives her consent, we'll announce our engage- 
 ment to-night!" Her eyes sparkled, as she 
 held out her hands and let herself be folded 
 in his arms for a farewell kiss. In that 
 caress his fears were forgotten. Then she 
 freed herself and walked to the office door. 
 
 "Good-by, Hall, dear! Oh, I hope we 
 can be happy! And say, won't those swells 
 open their eyes, though, when they hear the 
 119 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 news?" She hurried through the office 
 without so much as a nod to Flodie. 
 
 Flodie jumped up. "Oh, your boa, Miss 
 Gale!" and handed it to her. 
 
 "Oh, yes!" Rosamund took it, and emerged 
 from her dream to look the little assistant 
 over with scornful triumph. "Thanks." She 
 threw it about her neck jauntily. "Oh, 
 say, never mind those prints. Miss Fisher; 
 I'll get them when I come to-night." Up 
 went her chin. 
 
 "All right," said Flodie sweetly. "If I 
 have time to find them I will." 
 
 "Time? I'd like to know what you're here 
 for!" 
 
 "To wait upon — " Flodie paused for effect, 
 — "customers!" and brought it out with force. 
 
 "Well, you may not be here so very long, 
 if you don't look out," said Rosamund. 
 "But while you are, it wouldn't hurt to be a 
 bit more polite. Miss Fisher." 
 
 Flodie held herself in well, replying, "No, 
 that's true. But every one is so kind, usu- 
 ally, and Mr. Bonistelle is always so nice 
 and dear to me, I suppose I am spoiled." 
 120 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh!" Rosamund's eyes were pistols. 
 "Yes, he is a dear!" She gave a glance in 
 the mirror. "He's a savage when he's af- 
 fectionate, though, isn't he! Why, he's 
 mussed up my hair awfully. But he is sweet, 
 isn't he, Miss Fisher?" She smiled wicked- 
 ly and went out. 
 
 Into the studio Flodie shot, a bullet out 
 of. a gun. Hall was not in sight. She 
 pounded at the door of the dark room, 
 stopped and listened, pounded again. Bang! 
 Bang ! Bang ! 
 
 Hall emerged, scowling. 
 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 She grabbed him by the arm. 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle! Oh, Mr. Bonistelle," she 
 cried, "you haven't gone and done it again, 
 have you?" 
 
 "What?" he asked. 
 
 "Proposed !" 
 
 "Why, you see" — Hall began to stammer 
 — "really I think she's the best of the three 
 — don't you? It just came over me — she's 
 so devilish pretty, Flodie, — and — well, she's 
 going to give me my answer to-night." 
 121 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle!" Flodie, despairing, 
 dropped into a chair and stared at him 
 glassily. Then she shook her head, and 
 sighed. 
 
 "Well," she said in a hard dry voice, 
 "I've heard of men who went out looking 
 for trouble, but you are the first one I ever 
 knew actually to go and order it delivered 
 at the house!" 
 
'You haven't gone and done it again;"" 
 
PART TWO 
 
 TT was two o'clock in the afternoon. Flo- 
 -■- die was crying. Seated at her desk, her 
 bills littered, her account books in disorder, 
 her head was down on her arms, in an atti- 
 tude of dismal abandon. Hopelessly came 
 Flodie's sobs. Occasionally there was a 
 snuffling interlude, as she listened to Hall 
 Bonistelle going and coming from the studio 
 to the dark room — Flodie feared his entrance 
 to the office — then her head dropped, and 
 again her shoulders heaved. Flodie's woe 
 was genuine, and the emotion precluded 
 grace. She did not weep, she cried. There 
 was no room in her mind for a picture of 
 the awkward posture she had fallen into. 
 Hall Bonistelle married — and not to her! 
 Married to whom? Ah, that was the worst 
 of it. If Flodie had known the identity of 
 her rival her sorrow might have, before now, 
 123 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 been transmuted into anger. Would Mrs. 
 Royalton, or Carolyn Dallys become Mrs. 
 Bonistelle? Or worst of all, would the wed- 
 ding-ring be worn by Rosamund Gale ? Flodie 
 didn't know. Hall didn't know. Even Rosa- 
 mund didn't know herself. Hence Flodie's 
 tears, wet and heavy, splashing, trickling, 
 soaking the dark blue blotter of Flodie's 
 desk. 
 
 At two-ten, sundry sounds, translated by 
 Flodie's intimate knowledge of Hall Bonis- 
 telle's ways, indicated his approach. She 
 sat hastily down at the typewriter and be- 
 gan to print off this interesting message: 
 
 "Quiz Jack; thy frowns vex G. D. Plumb !" 
 
 Interesting mainly because, a concoction 
 of Flodie's debutante days at the typewriter, 
 it contained every known letter of the alpha- 
 bet. Now it served to focus her mind on 
 her fingers, and hide her face from scrutiny. 
 
 When Hall came in, she had copied the 
 statement nine times, and seemed too busy 
 for speech. 
 
 124 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Say, I'm going out, Flo!" he announced, 
 and tapped with his stick on the floor 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 No reply from Flodie Fisher. 
 
 "If any one comes, say I'll be back by 
 about five or so. I've got a lot of things to 
 attend to." 
 
 Flodie kept right on: "thy frowns vex 
 G. D. Plumb." But love and curiosity won 
 against embarrassment. She wheeled round 
 in her chair. "What are you going to do, 
 Mr. Bonistelle? There's so much work for 
 you to do, I should think " 
 
 "What's the matter with your eyes? I'm 
 afraid you're straining them, Flo? Don't 
 work so hard." 
 
 "Oh, I'm not working so hard. What 
 have you been doing all this time? Aren't 
 you going to do any developing to-day?" 
 Flodie turned back quickly to her machine 
 again. "Quiz Jack; . . . thy frowns . . ." 
 
 "Lord, I don't feel much like work to- 
 day, but I've -finished Mrs. Royalton's 
 plates, Carrie Dallys', too; some of her poses 
 125 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 are not half bad. She's almost pretty, did 
 you know it? Say, Flodie, you might print 
 a few proofs, if you have time, so I can have 
 'em to show to-night. Good thing I had 
 something to take up my mind, I s'pose. Say 
 I did considerable thinking in that dark 
 room, d'you know it? I wonder I didn't 
 botch all those plates. I just went through 
 them mechanically. I didn't have time to 
 develop Rosamund. She can wait; I expect 
 I'll have plenty of time for her later." 
 
 At the inflection, Flodie turned to him 
 again with a heart-broken look. "Oh, Mr. 
 Bonistelle ! Have you — really — made up your 
 mind that she — " Flodie couldn't finish. She 
 choked. 
 
 Hall laughed. "Lord, made up my mind! 
 What good would that do? It's up to them, 
 now. Well, I'm on the way to buy the 
 ring, anyway. I've got to be married to- 
 night — to somebody J Flodie! It's a case 
 of step lively for H. Bonistelle to-day. 
 Lord, I've got no end of things to attend 
 to. There's the ring — and I ought to get 
 126 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 a suit of clothes to go away in — I haven't 
 anything at all to wear. Wedding-cake, too, 
 I suppose — and the tickets. Say, Flodie, 
 where would you go on your honeymoon 
 trip, anyway? Old Point Comfort?" 
 
 Flodie bit her lip hard. "Oh, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle! — " was she going to break down, after 
 all? No; good for Flodie! One gulp, and 
 she had swallowed it. She gazed through 
 a blinding mist at G. D. Plumb. Then she 
 said, in a strained far-away voice, "Ber- 
 muda's nice. Why don't you go there? I've 
 always wanted to — " She failed again, and 
 in despair, her fingers flew to the keys of 
 her machine, "thy frowns vex G. D. Plumb. 
 Quiz Jack; thy frowns vex G. D. Plumb. 
 Quiz Jack " 
 
 Hall thought it over, unsuspecting her 
 emotion. "Good idea! Bermuda'll do fine. 
 Lord, I wish you could come along with 
 us, Flodie, you need a sea trip." He smiled 
 good-naturedly. "I suppose it would hardly 
 do, though. Rosamund wouldn't understand 
 it. Too bad!" He tapped her playfully 
 127 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 with the tip of his stick. "Well, I'm off, 
 Flo. See you to-night. Be here early!" 
 
 Flodie turned a wretched face to him. Her 
 eyes were wet. 
 
 "But I don't know how you want the 
 rooms decorated, Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Oh, I don't care — use your own taste. 
 It'll be all right. You can do it. So long, 
 Flo!" And he was off into the hall; his 
 voice was heard calling "Down!" The ele- 
 vator door banged. 
 
 Flodie went to the wash-stand behind the 
 screen and dabbed her eyes in cold water, 
 then inspected herself mercilessly in the mir- 
 ror. A sigh. She made a face at herself 
 and returned listlessly to work. 
 
 But mental occupation was impossible; 
 Flodie had too much on her mind already. 
 Manual exercise was what she needed to 
 keep her from giving up to her misery. 
 There were the freshly developed plates, — < 
 she went into the dark room to get them. ,. 
 
 Taking the rack full of glass negatives, she 
 emerged and walked into the,, office. Busy 
 128 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 with melancholy thoughts of Hall Bonistelle, 
 a shock awaited her. There was a stranger 
 in the room. 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle in?" 
 
 He was a tall, gaunt, stoop-shouldered man, 
 with a long upper lip. Deep lines, sharp as 
 saw cuts, ran down his cheeks, and from the 
 ends of his gash-like mouth. His neck was 
 flabby, the cords showing like the ribs of a 
 fan. Rusty provincial garments hung loose- 
 ly upon him, draping his bony body, and 
 in his hands he held a soft, felt, prehistoric 
 hat. He was not at all a city person; one 
 almost smelt salt marshes at low tide, and 
 clams. His ill-cut hair, too, suggested wet 
 seaweed. 
 
 Flodie, at another time, would have had 
 trouble in restraining her smile. Now her 
 heart was too heavy; her sense of the ridicu- 
 lous inhibited. She merely looked him over 
 carelessly, added him up as some sort of 
 drummer person, and replied that her em- 
 ployer was not in. 
 
 The visitor gave a look round the office, 
 129 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 another at her, then sat down and crossed 
 his legs. "Sho!" he remarked genially, 
 "that's too bad! I did want to see him to- 
 day, sure. Cool, ain't it?" 
 
 "Anything I can do for you?" Flodie set 
 the negatives on the desk, and stood, a little 
 annoyed by the stranger's delay. He was 
 making himself altogether too much at home 
 to suit her. 
 
 "Ain't in, eh?" He looked her over in- 
 quisitively. "What be you, anyway, his 
 wife?" He pierced her with his little blue 
 eyes. 
 
 The words stung her to the quick; her 
 nerves were all exposed. She managed her 
 face, however, and replied, "No, I'm his 
 assistant, that's all. Bookkeeper, sort of." 
 
 He was still watching her shrewdly. 
 "Ain't going to marry him, be ye?" 
 
 Flodie, sensitive as she was, could not help 
 showing a little of her distress. The color 
 began to rise on her cheeks. In her embar- 
 rassment she bridled. "Is that any business of 
 yours?" she answered in meek resentment. 
 130 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Yep," he said, "considerable, as it hap- 
 pens. Mebbe I better tell you who I be." 
 
 Floddie nodded haughtily, hating him with 
 all her soul. 
 
 "Hassingbury's my name. Jonas B. Ain't 
 never heerd o' me, be ye?" 
 
 Flodie gasped. "Oh! Not Mr. Bonis- 
 telle's cousin Jonas?" 
 
 He nodded soleinnly. "Fust cousin — once 
 removed." 
 
 Flodie sat down. It was upon her lips 
 to say "What! The man who will get Mr. 
 Bonistelle's uncle's money if Hall doesn't 
 marry!" but she refrained. She looked at 
 Jonas with a new interest. "Oh," she ex- 
 claimed, "Mr. Bonistelle will be awfully 
 sorry to have missed you. But I'm afraid 
 he won't be back till late this afternoon." 
 
 "Won't, eh? Wall, now, that's too bad. 
 I did want to have a little dish o' gossip 
 with Hall. But come to think of it I dunno 
 but perhaps you'll do just as well." Again 
 he inspected the room. "Nice place he's got 
 here. Don't live here, though, does he?" 
 131 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie pointed into the studio. ",Yes, he 
 has a room in there." 
 
 "And where do you live, miss?" Jonas 
 demanded boldly. 
 
 His tone was offensive, and Flodie's blush 
 deepened. She managed to be polite. "Oh, 
 quite a way from here. In darkest Harlem." 
 
 "H'm!" Jonas's eyes were fastened on 
 her keenly, watching every change in Flo- 
 die's expressive face. "Ain't sweet on him, 
 be ye?" 
 
 Flodie rose in wrath. This time he had 
 touched the quick. "I don't see what right 
 
 you have " she began, when he interrupted 
 
 her. 
 
 "Oh, they ain't no need to get huffy," he 
 said, "I only wanted to know. You're a 
 pretty fair-lookin' gal — here in his office all 
 day with him — likely enough, ain't it?" 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle knows a great many 
 women, Mr. Hassingbury, and — oh, I'm 
 only a kind of employee, that's all. He 
 isn't interested in me a bit. I don't count 
 at all." 
 
 132 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, that's what's botherin' ye, eh? I 
 see!" He nodded, self-satisfied. 
 
 This was too much. Flodie, heart-broken, 
 could no longer hide her feelings. What 
 right had he, — why should he stumble so on 
 the truth! It was torture for her. She 
 walked toward the stock-room trembling. 
 "If you'll excuse me, Mr. Hassingbury, I've 
 got some pictures to print." She started to 
 enter. 
 
 "Hold on a minute, miss, I want to talk 
 to ye!" said Jonas, beckoning with a bony 
 finger. 
 
 "I'm sorry, but I'm awfully busy," Flodie 
 stammered. 
 
 "Wall," he remarked, "so be I. This is 
 important, though. I guess you can spare 
 me five minutes or so. I didn't come up all 
 the way from Branford, Connecticut, and 
 miss prayer-meetin' night at that just for 
 the fun of it. See here: Is Hall married, 
 or not? That's what I want to know." 
 
 Still Flodie's color mounted. "No, he's 
 not. Why?" 
 
 133 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Engaged, mebbe? — ^what?" Jonas stared 
 her through and through. No wonder, for 
 her face was betraying her plainly, as, for 
 the fraction of a second, she hesitated in 
 replying. 
 
 Finally she managed to bring out a "No." 
 
 "Sure?" 
 
 Again Flodie had to suffer and try to 
 conceal her emotion. Jonas had little trouble 
 in reading her quivering lips. Flodie was 
 on the point of tears. 
 
 "I don't care to talk about Mr. Bonis- 
 telle's private affairs," she said finally. "I 
 have no right to, anyway. You'll have to 
 excuse me, Mr. Hassingbury, I've got 
 to " 
 
 "See here, miss!" Jonas beckoned again. 
 "Set ye down; you needn't be afraid, I ain't 
 goin' to hurt ye. I'm a religious man, and 
 a church member; ye can trust me. Mebbe 
 you think I'm stickin' my nose into what's 
 none of my business, but land! I'm his 
 cousin, and I guess I got a good right to 
 know his plans on the subject o' matrimony." 
 134 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 He gazed at her cruelly. "And I expect you 
 know why. Now don't ye?" 
 
 "No," said Flodie faintly, leaning on the 
 desk for support. 
 
 "Ain't heerd no news this mornin', I 
 s'pose? Hall's prospects ain't changed that 
 you know of? Didn't he tell ye nothin'?" 
 
 "No." This time Flodie's reply was still 
 fainter. She had to sit down, now. 
 
 "I see ye know more'n you're willin' to 
 let on," he continued. "I wa'n't born yester- 
 day, miss, nor yet the day before, and I 
 know somethin' about women, if I be a 
 bachelor. Up in Branford they call me 
 weather-wise. Wall, the signs on a woman's 
 face is just as easy, sometimes. Now see 
 here; — " he hitched his chair nearer to Flo- 
 die. "You don't want Hall Bonistelle to git 
 married no more'n I do. Ain't that so?" 
 
 Flodie stared at him fascinated, as a bird 
 by a snake. Try as she could, it was im- 
 possible to deny his accusation. 
 
 "See here, miss!" Jonas tapped her on 
 the knee with his forefiiiger, "I'd give con- 
 135 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 sider'ble to know that Hall wa'n't neither 
 married or engaged at the present minute. 
 How is it?" 
 
 "Oh, he's not— really!" 
 
 "Hold on a minute, now!" He shooli his 
 finger impressively. "I'd give a good deal 
 more if I was satisfied he wouldn't be mar- 
 ried before midnight." 
 
 Flodie could stand it no longer. It was 
 useless to attempt to hide her feelings from 
 this man. Her heart was bursting. "Oh, 
 so would I, if I had the money!" she cried, 
 woebegone. 
 
 Jonas leaned back, with a smile of victory 
 on his face. "Wall, I guess I got to the 
 woman of it at last," he gloated. "It ain't 
 no trouble for Jonas B. Hassingbury to see 
 a hole through a ladder. All women is just 
 alike, when you come right down to it, from 
 Dan to Beersheba. 'One man among a 
 thousand have I found; but a woman among 
 all those have I not found' — ^that is, different. 
 But that's neither here nor there. I suspected 
 you was sweet on Hall; your face give you 
 136 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 dead away. Wall, then, miss," he brought 
 it out deliberately, "seems to me our inter- 
 ests ought to be identical." 
 
 "What d'you mean?" Something in Flo- 
 die's subconsciousness was awakened. 
 
 "You, bein' a woman, don't want him to 
 marry anybody else. Wall, neither do I." 
 He watched her closely, heartlessly. 
 
 "I see," said Flodie frigidly, "because 
 you'd lose a fortune." 
 
 "Oh, it ain't the money, miss, don't you 
 misinterpret my motives. I don't want a 
 cent of it for myself. It's what I can do 
 with it. See here; if Hall gets that money, 
 he's bound to throw it away on all sorts of 
 foolishness. If he marries to-night, some 
 sheep-headed, extravagant woman will have 
 the spendin' of it." He watched the shaft 
 strike Flodie, and went on. "Whereas, if 
 / inherit it — why, I got my plans all laid 
 out a'ready." He leaned forward earnestly. 
 "Why, do you know, miss, they's heathen 
 in the tropics what don't know what clothes 
 be, let alone the Bible. They tell me they 
 137 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ain't a tooth-brush nor a pair o' corsets in 
 all Polynesia. And all of them miserable 
 niggers got to be damned everlasting. Then 
 they's hospitals I intend to endow, and tracts 
 ought to be printed — ^you'd be surprised to 
 hear how people are even inclined to go back 
 on infant damnation, nowadays — I don't 
 know what the world's comin' to. Lord, I 
 can think of hundreds o' ways to use that 
 money in charities." But Flodie's eyes were 
 cast down. He saw that he had lost his 
 audience, and came back to his best argu- 
 ment. "Think o' Hall's wife throwin' that 
 cash round on parties, and low-necked dresses 
 — to say nothin' o' balls and concerts and 
 theaters !" 
 
 "Well," Flodie said, with a pathetic look 
 in her face, "I don't see what we can do 
 about it. He's made up his mind to marry 
 to-night, and he's already proposed to three 
 women." 
 
 "Three? Jumping Jehoshaphat !" cried 
 Jonas, smiting his knee. "Not all to once?" 
 
 "Yes — so as to be sure of at least one of 
 them." 
 
 138 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Jonas whistled long and low. "Looks like 
 we got to get to work in a hurry, don't it? 
 See here, miss," he spoke slowly and em- 
 phatically. "You fix this thing for me — see 
 to it that Hall don't marry ary one of 'em, 
 and I'll — well, I'll make it an object to ye." 
 
 "But how can I? It's all settled!" she 
 moaned. 
 
 "Then you OMsettle it. You can do it. 
 Why, women is born for tricks like this. 
 What's that Jeremiah says? 'A woman shall 
 compass a man.' That's right, too. You'll 
 find a way and depend on me to help all I 
 can. What d'ye say?" 
 
 Flodie's mind had already jumped to the 
 task. Why not ti'y to save Hall? — that was 
 the excuse she gave herself. To be disloyal 
 to him was unthinkable, but to prevent a 
 lifelong unhappiness due to his marrying 
 any one of the three women he had proposed 
 to — ah, that was another thing! What if 
 she could accomplish it, and get the best 
 of this scheming hypocrite into the bargain? 
 There was a magnificent chance for a 
 woman's strategy! 
 
 139 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Jonas, meanwhile, was studying her. Now, 
 with the ingenuity of an Apache torturing 
 his victim, he prodded her with unbearably 
 remarks. "Queer Hall didn't take up with 
 you, wa'n't it? You ain't so bad-lookin', 
 seems to me. What does he, sort o' look 
 down on ye? Considers ye a kind of a ser- 
 vant, I s'pose. Wall, Hall always was high- 
 toned. He's got to have looks and style, I 
 expect. What be these women, pretty? Wall, 
 I expect he'd want his Mrs. Bonistelle to 
 be tony, o' course!" 
 
 Flodie writhed in mental anguish. Oh, 
 she would get even with him! she swore to 
 herself. That desire took a second place to 
 the wild untamable wish to keep Hall from 
 manying one of her rivals. Far away be- 
 hind, almost lost, was her pathetic longing 
 to marry him herself. But she had no time 
 for that impossible hope, now. Something 
 must be done to throw Hall's plans off the 
 track, and she set her wits to work. Appeal 
 again to Hall? Never! Although she knew 
 well that in any other question he would take 
 140 
 
"Considers ye a kind of servant, I s'pose" 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 her advice. What else was there to do? 
 Suddenly the thought came, beautiful, com- 
 plete. She jumped up excitedly. "I know!" 
 she cried. 
 
 "What? got an idee a' ready?" Jonas 
 grinned. 
 
 "Yes! I'll tell you. I'm going to get 
 those three women together in this room — 
 and then — I'll just let nature take its course! 
 If something doesn't happen, then I don't 
 know anything about women." 
 
 Jonas chuckled, delighted. "Wall, that 
 will be a picnic, won't it! By jiminy, I'd 
 like to see the fun!" 
 
 "No," said Flodie, "you'll have to leave. 
 I've got lots to do, if I'm to manage this 
 thing, and I've got to do it alone. Now, 
 let's see! Wait a minute — Hall's giving a 
 party here to-night. Suppose I tell him that 
 I invited you, and you come round at about 
 eleven o'clock. Then I'll tell you how mat- 
 ters are going." 
 
 "Eleven o'clock! Lord, I generally git to 
 bed by ten." 
 
 141 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "You won't to-night, then. Better drink 
 some coffee if you're sleepy. And I guess 
 it'll be worth sitting up for. Good afternoon, 
 Mr. Hassingbury !" Flodie did not offer 
 to shake hands. 
 
 Jonas gazed at her in ever-growing admir- 
 ation. "Say, miss," he ventured, "it ain't 
 often I get loony over a woman. I don't 
 trust 'em enough. But I've took consider'ble 
 fancy to you, somehow. You got a good 
 head on your shoulders, you have!" 
 
 Flodie evaded his hand. "Well, it's likely 
 to stay there, I'm afraid. At any rate, it'll 
 never be on yours, Mr. Hassingbury." 
 
 He shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid 
 you're rather inclined to be frivolous, miss." 
 
 "Oh, I'm not a church member, Mr. Has- 
 singbury, and I don't believe I'm a bit inter- 
 ested in missionaries." 
 
 "Wall, I calculate I could train ye, after 
 a while. What you need is a good husband." 
 
 "And that," said Flodie, "is exactly what 
 I intend to get!" 
 
 "By jiminy, if you just git red o' them 
 142 
 
LOVE IN A HURRYi 
 
 women, miss, I believe I'd take ye, myself!" 
 he exclaimed, his hand on the door. 
 
 [With which Flodie went, without honoring 
 him with another glance, into the stock- 
 room, leaving him to take his departure 
 alone. 
 
 After Jonas Hassingbury had left, Flodie 
 took a sheet of print paper, put it over a 
 plate of Mrs. Royalton's, and clamped it. 
 The light poured down through a skylight, 
 and here Flodie placed the lady to cook in 
 the sunshine. Then she went to the tele- 
 phone, and called up a number. 
 
 "Mrs. Royalton? . . . Yes, this is Miss 
 Fisher — at Mr. Bonistelle's you know . . . 
 about your pictures . . . Could you drop in 
 this afternoon and see some proofs? . . . Oh, 
 yes, lovely, I think . . . About three o'clock, 
 if you will . . . Good-by!" 
 
 Next she called up Miss Dallys, and said 
 nearly the same thing; both ladies agreed to 
 call. But how about Rosamund? She wan- 
 dered from studio to studio. Well, Flodie 
 must risk it. Perhaps she could be found 
 143 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 later. Meanwhile she had much to do. She 
 flew back to the printing room, and went to 
 work on the negatives. They must all be 
 finished before the ladies arrived, that they 
 might suspect nothing. Quickly her fingers 
 flew. She went from the table to the sink 
 and back again, opening frames, tearing off 
 printing papers, handling glass plates. Soon 
 a half dozen were drying on the clips. Sud- 
 denly she looked up. Who was that in the 
 office? Flodie went in and found Alfred 
 the Pale, with a big bunch of evergreen gar- 
 lands. He pulled off his hat and grinned. 
 
 "Will I fix up the studio now?" he asked. 
 
 "Yes," said Flodie, "right away." She 
 held up a proof of Carolyn Dallys and in- 
 spected it critically. No, she could not, in 
 fairness, admit that Carolyn was pretty. In- 
 tellectual looking, yes. But not beautiful. 
 Alfred, meanwhile, was regarding his idol. 
 
 "Well, why don't you go ahead about it?" 
 Flodie inquired severely. 
 
 "Say, Miss Fisher," Alfred set down his 
 bundle and approached her. "It's so hard to 
 
 ketch you alone, you know " 
 
 144 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Alfred, can't you see I'm very busy?" 
 
 "I know, but — well, you see " 
 
 "No, I don't. I'm blind. We must have 
 those decorations up in a hurry." Flodie, 
 however, did see something in the poor jani- 
 tor's face which made her start hastily for 
 the stock-room. 
 
 "Just a minute, Miss Fisher, please. It 
 won't take long. But I got to get it out of 
 me." 
 
 She turned and fixed him with an unsym- 
 pathetic gaze. "What is it, — a splinter in 
 your thumb, or a vermiform appendix?" 
 
 "It's worse'n them both," he answered 
 disconsolately. "It's a question I got to ask 
 you, Miss Fisher. It's been a-boilin', like, 
 inside of me till I just got to explode, some- 
 how." 
 
 "No time, Mr. Teakettle. I've too much 
 to do. And so've you!" 
 
 "Oh, I know it ain't no use. Miss Fisher, 
 but it'll be a satisfaction even to be throwed 
 down. It'll be something, anyway. I can't 
 stand it any longer." 
 
 Flodie stared, fascinated, at the hopeless 
 145 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 janitor. Faint heart ne'er yet won fair lady, 
 but still, his look was flattering. There was 
 a mild balm in his devotion, as he fawned 
 on her. It softened her heart. "Now, 
 Alfred," she began, "don't you be silly! " 
 
 "I just can't help it, Miss Fisher!" he ex- 
 claimed. "I got to be silly! If I didn't see 
 you every day, here — oh, dear, ain't they any 
 hope for me? Not never?" 
 
 "Hope? If you mean " 
 
 "Yes, that is what I mean. Miss Fisher, 
 and I mean it all over, too. Why, I'm so 
 bad in love with you. Miss Fisher, that I 
 can't eat my vittles. I can't do my work. 
 It's a-killin' me. Miss Fisher, that's that it 
 is, and I just got to have it settled." 
 
 He waited a moment, wistfully. Flodie 
 watched him with a curious far-away inter- 
 est, as at an injured animal. Then she said 
 gently, "Now, Alfred, I'm sorry you had to 
 say all this, but I simply " 
 
 Alfred seized her arm. "Oh, don't say it 
 yet. Miss Fisher, please don't! I know what 
 it's a-goin' to be, but don't say it !" 
 146 
 
'M'm so bad in luve with \(>n T can't eat" 
 
LOVE IN 'A HURRY 
 
 "It's no use, Alfred. You know I couldn't 
 possibly. I don't want you to say another 
 word about it." Flodie, as she spoke, fingered 
 a thin gold chain about her neck. Dangling, 
 warm on her breast, was a tiny golden locket, 
 one of Hall Bonistelle's few gifts, treasured 
 jealously by Flodie, worn night and day. 
 
 Alfred Smallish had already given up all 
 hope. "Oh, I know," he said apathetically. 
 "I've seen it all along." 
 
 "Seen what?" Flodie was alertly on the 
 defense. 
 
 "Ain't I seen how you look at him? Why, 
 I s'pose you care more for that little locket 
 he give you than you do for all of me! Oh, 
 Miss Fisher, I can't bear to see you breakin' 
 your heart over him!" 
 
 Flodie's voice scratched. "Stop!" she 
 cried imperiously. 
 
 "You are! I know you are!" he insisted 
 desperately. "And, Miss Fisher, he don't 
 care for you that way, don't you know that? 
 And he never will! Why, just look at the 
 way he treats you!" 
 
 147 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Don't you say another word about Mr. 
 Bonistelle!" Flodie commanded; and then 
 spoiled her authority by adding, "Why, he's 
 just lovely to me." 
 
 "Lovely! Why, he treats you like a ser- 
 vant! Don't you slave for him, morning, 
 noon and night? Ain't you practically run- 
 ning his business for him, and waitin' on 
 him, hand and foot, into the bargain?" 
 
 "Never you mind about Mr. Bonistelle 
 and me, Alfred. That's none of your busi- 
 ness. There are some things you can't un- 
 derstand." 
 
 "Oh, I understand too well, that's the 
 trouble. The more he orders you around, 
 the better you like it." 
 
 "Why, he hires me, Alfred; I have to do 
 things." 
 
 "Yes, you'd black his boots." 
 
 "And of course I like him, you know. I 
 can't help that." 
 
 "Oh, I know you've took a fancy to him. 
 Miss Fisher, but he'll never do for you half 
 what I'd be pleased and proud to. Oh, of 
 
 m 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 course I'm nothin' but a janitor — now — but 
 Miss Fisher, if I only had you I'd show 'em! 
 Why ain't I as good as he is? Ain't I five 
 foot seven like him? He's got brown eyes 
 and so have I. Hair the same color, too! 
 I could raise a mustache to beat his, any day." 
 Then as Flodie gazed, entranced at his ardor, 
 he dropped pensively. "But I s'pose we are 
 different, somehow. You got to go the way 
 you feel, I s'pose. I knew there wasn't any 
 use.". He shook his head sadly, hopelessly. 
 
 "Well, when you're all through, Alfred, 
 I'll have to tell you " 
 
 He checked her response. "I just want 
 to tell you about it, first, before you squelch 
 me for good. I only want you to know how 
 crazy I am about you. Miss Fisher! It's like 
 scarlet fever, almost, I got it all over. And 
 — say, don't go yet, please. Miss Fisher — 
 wait till I get rid of it for once and for all 
 — it'll do me good — ^you wouldn't ever have 
 the likes of me, I know — that ain't all of it 
 — it's only I want to do something for you, 
 just to prove how I feel! If I could only 
 149 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 help you some way! — don't you understand 
 how it is. Miss Fisher? Won't you give me 
 a try sometime? That's all I want now!" 
 
 Flodie, leaning against the table, watched 
 him with tears in her eyes. Ah, Flodie un- 
 derstood! How well she knew! For the 
 moment, she forgot the weak pale face, the 
 receding chin, the jumping Adam's apple; 
 she saw a true man in front of her — a man, 
 but, alas, not the man! But so men should 
 talk. She could no longer laugh at him. 
 Kindly she stretched forth her hand; and 
 the janitor who, in all his life had never 
 known gallantry, reached for it, and kissed 
 it as naturally as might a courtier. He 
 touched Flodie's little hand as if it were a 
 holy relic; and on it there fell a soft rain of 
 tears. 
 
 Flodie bit her lip; she slowly shook her 
 head. "I'm awfully sorry, Alfred, really; but 
 I don't see what I can do." 
 
 Alfred's lips quivered, and his hands 
 writhed as he replied : "Why, all I want 
 you to do is to promise, Miss Fisher — ^ask 
 150 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 me to do something for you. Something 
 hard to do. The very hardest thing you 
 know. Why, I'd do anything, Miss Fisher, 
 anything!" 
 
 A whimsical devil in Flodie's mind tempted 
 her, despite the pathos of her suitor's request. 
 "Really? Would you, Alfred?" she asked, 
 gazing at him. He was so funny in his ser- 
 iousness, and Flodie had the fatal sense of 
 humor. She began to laugh. "Would you 
 — would you eat a ball of yarn for my sake, 
 Alfred?" She simply couldn't help saying 
 it. 
 
 Alfred took it with a gulp of surprise. 
 Then he drew himself up. "Yes'm, I would!" 
 He had no laugh to echo hers; he was death- 
 ly serious. 
 
 "Well, that's awfully sweet of you, Alfred. 
 A man has to love a woman pretty much to 
 do a thing like' that!" Flodie eyed him, but 
 caught no answering smile in his eyes.> 
 
 "Why, if I thought it would help you out. 
 Miss Fisher, that ain't nothing to what I'd 
 eat!" 
 
 151 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 The outright bravery of it melted her. 
 Alfred meant literally what he said. Con- 
 trite, she put her soft hand in his. "I know 
 what you mean, Alfred," she said soberly. 
 "Forgive me, Alfred, I didn't really mean to 
 make fun of you. You're so good! I'll 
 call on you if ever I need you, Alfred. I'll 
 promise." She turned a little sadly back to 
 her desk. "And now that's settled, would 
 you mind going to work on those decora- 
 tions? I'm awfully busy, and I want the 
 studio finished up right away." 
 
 "All right." Alfred's look feasted on her. 
 He paused by the door. "It's really more 
 than I ever hoped for. Miss Fisher, what you 
 just said! Thank you!" He left, almost 
 with dignity. 
 
 Flodie turned to her work. From the 
 telephone to her printing she vibrated, and 
 from that to her accounts, occasional inspec- 
 tion of Alfred's progress, and arrangements 
 for the evening's refreshments. Meanwhile 
 her busy mind was going over the problem 
 of managing her trio of rivals. If she could 
 152 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 only find Rosamund! Rosamund she had, 
 from the first, disHked; she had always re- 
 sented her .appearance. Now she fairly 
 longed for her to open the door. She thought 
 and thought of some possible way to reach 
 her. 
 
 In a half-hour, miraculously, as if sum- 
 moned by Flodie's mental demand, who but 
 Rosamund did open the door! — Rosamund 
 Gale, more patronizing, more assured and 
 nonchalant than ever. 
 
 "Hello," she said cooly; "Hall here?" She 
 sauntered up to the mirror and poked at her 
 golden ringlets. 
 
 "Why, no. Mr. Bonistelle has just left," 
 said Flodie, suspiciously cordial, stopping 
 her writing. "But I'm expecting him any 
 minute. Won't you wait?" 
 
 Rosamund craned her neck, trying to catch 
 a glimpse of her barrette. "Those pictures 
 of mine developed?" 
 
 "No, Miss Gale. Mr. Bonistelle had to 
 work on some of his customers'. I'm sorry." 
 
 "Well, I should think he might get mine 
 153 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 done first. I was in an awful hurry to see 
 'em." 
 
 "Well, he has to attend to business part 
 of the time, you know. Miss Gale," said 
 Flodie. 
 
 "Oh, indeed !" Rosamund gave her a long 
 cruel stare. "I don't see why he bothers 
 about his old business so much. He can 
 afford to take it easy, well enough." 
 
 Flodie raised her eyebrows. "Oh, can 
 he?" 
 
 "Well, he told me so " 
 
 "Oh, you musn't believe everything he 
 says. Miss Gale. You know he has to keep 
 up appearances. It's a part of the game." 
 
 Rosamund had touched a live wire. She 
 was shocked. 
 
 "Appearances? Why, isn't he successful?" 
 
 "Oh, in a way, but " 
 
 "But what?" Rosamund walked up to the 
 desk like a cat after a sparrow. 
 
 "Well, of course I wouldn't say anything 
 
 about it to a customer, you know, but so 
 
 long as you and Hall are such great friends, 
 
 why, — well, the fact is, I'm rather worried." 
 
 154 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie noted with glee that Rosamund 
 was losing color. 
 
 "Do you mean to say that Hall Bonistelle 
 isn't doing as well as — well, as well as he 
 says ?" Rosamund demanded. 
 
 Flodie smiled with secret satisfaction. "Oh, 
 I wouldn't exactly say that, you know, but 
 then — well, it costs a lot to run this place. 
 Here, look at those bills! I don't think he'd 
 mind, so long as it's you!" She handed 
 Rosamund a neatly folded parcel. "/ don't 
 know how in the world we're ever going to 
 pay them!" 
 
 Rosamund turned them over curiously, 
 frowning. "H'm!" she said to herself, 
 through tightened lips. "Quite a bunch of 
 'em, isn't there? Why, I don't see how he 
 can expect to — " she gazed anxiously at Flo- 
 die. 
 
 "Expect to what?" 
 
 Rosamund hesitated. "It's awfully queer," 
 she went on, as if to herself. "Why, he 
 told me " 
 
 Flodie, seeing her advantage, artfully re- 
 ceded. "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle is optimistic, 
 155 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you know. He always thinks he's going to 
 come out all right. Just a wee bit reckless, 
 perhaps, but then, — ^well, I guess it'll be all 
 right." 
 
 Leaving this to sink into Rosamund's 
 alarmed mind, Flodie walked into the stock- 
 room and proceeded with her printing and 
 washing. 
 
 "Say, Miss Fisher!" Rosamund called 
 out, "how much salary do you get, anyway?" 
 
 Flodie reappeared at the doorway. She 
 didn't appear to resent the question in the 
 least. "Seventeen a week." 
 
 "Heavens, Hall is extravagant, isn't he! 
 Why, what in the world do you do for all 
 that?" Rosamund looked at Flodie as if 
 she were a thief. 
 
 "Oh, well, he thinks I earn it " 
 
 "Hall certainly must like you pretty well." 
 
 "Yes, so-so. We don't quarrel much." 
 Flodie smiled sweetly. 
 
 Rosamund's look had vitriol. "H'm!" 
 Her lips lost some of their beauty. "I see 
 one place where he could reduce expenses 
 pretty easily!" 
 
 156 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Really? I'm willing. Oh, I've had 
 plenty of ofifers," said Flodie. "I don't have 
 to stay here. I only do because he wants 
 me to so much, and I don't see how he could 
 ever get along without me." 
 
 "Well," Rosamund turned away scornfully, 
 "I think he'll get along all right. The next 
 offer you get, I advise you to take it. Hall 
 may change his plans pretty soon, and you 
 might be in the way." 
 
 "What do you mean?" How big Flodie's 
 eyes were! 
 
 "Oh, nothing, only we had a little talk this 
 forenoon, and he — well, he told me a few 
 things. I wouldn't care to repeat them, 
 Miss Fisher, of course. They were very 
 confidential." 
 
 Rosamund had led trumps, so Flodie fol- 
 lowed suit. She took her time, however, 
 biting the end of her penholder thoughtfully. 
 "I don't know but you're right. Miss Gale," 
 she said finally, "perhaps I had better leave. 
 You see, Mr. Boriistelle is likely to get mar- 
 ried any time, you never can tell with a man 
 157 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 like him, — and I would be in the way, as 
 you say." Rosamund's chin had risen an 
 inch. Flodie watched it, as she added, "It 
 would be an awfully good thing for Mr. Bon- 
 istelle, too. You see, his wife could keep 
 the books and stay in the office, here, and 
 he'd save by it; of course he wouldn't have 
 to pay her any salary." 
 
 Rosamund's chin dropped. "Why, heavens! 
 he wouldn't think of having his wife " 
 
 "Oh, you don't know him." Flodie did 
 the airy fairy mood. "Besides, he couldn't 
 afford to marry any other way." 
 
 "Why, I thought by the way he talked 
 that he was doing a pretty good business." 
 
 "Well," Flodie replied, with a fine frank- 
 ness, "it's this way. You see, Mr. Bonistelle 
 thinks he's doing a lot of business when he's 
 not. He does a lot of work, I mean, but he 
 takes so many pictures for nothing, it's 
 worse than if he were idle." 
 
 "For nothing? How?" 
 
 "Why, the same as he did yours, exactly. 
 Women he takes a fancy to. No end of 
 158 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 them. He's so generous, and he likes to do 
 it. That's the best thing about Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, he really enjoys his work. Why, Miss 
 Gale, he'd rather take a picture of a pretty 
 woman than eat his meals. He'll fuss round 
 with them, posing them, and arranging 
 draperies and everything all day, sometimes. 
 And women do run after him so; you 
 wouldn't believe how many! They're in 
 here all the time. It's not only the time, 
 either; — ^you know those big plates are awful- 
 ly expensive. It costs a lot of money." 
 
 Rosamund, by this time, didn't quite know 
 where she was. Being herself a woman with 
 a pliable conscience, she didn't altogether 
 believe Flodie, but she was not nearly so 
 confident and determined as when she had 
 entered. She had come in with the inten- 
 tion of accepting Hall Bonistelle; these hints 
 of Flodie's disturbed her mightily. She sat 
 down and began to look over a pile of pho- 
 tographs, nervously. 
 
 Flodie read her indecision, and, behind 
 her account book, delighted in it. She had, 
 159 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 however, little time to watch, before the 
 door opened and Carolyn Dallys, trig and 
 debonair, sauntered into the room. 
 
 Now here was a chin that was lifted 
 naturally, with none of Rosamund Gale's 
 affectation of superiority. Carolyn was sure 
 of herself. Her birth and her education 
 had given her a fine aristocratic poise which 
 enabled her to take the most trying situa- 
 tions with calmness, even with wit. Life 
 was more or less of a joke for Carolyn, but 
 at the same time, she kept her eyes on the 
 main chance, and was careful to see that the 
 joke wasn't on her. It was much easier to 
 fool with her than to fool her. Her eye- 
 brows were arched whimsically over her 
 high-bred aquiline nose; her eyes always 
 held a humorous spark. 
 
 "Oh, how d'you do! Thank you for 
 telephoning me. Miss Fisher. I was so 
 anxious to see those proofs, I ran right 
 over," she drawled amiably at Flodie, and 
 smiled, in remembrance of their forenoon's 
 encounter. She could hardly take anything 
 160 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 seriously enough to bear resentment. Then 
 she gave Rosamund a careless glance, modi- 
 fied only by that quality of interest which 
 a brunette always gives her blond-haired 
 sister, and bowed slightly. Rosamund frank- 
 ly stared. 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle in?" Carolyn inquired 
 carelessly. 
 
 Flodie replied that he was away on im- 
 portant business, but that most of Miss Dal- 
 lys' proofs were ready. Would she wait 
 till the last two had been printed? In point 
 of fact, they had all been done a half-hour 
 ago, but for Flodie's plan,, Carolyn and 
 Rosamund must be left alone together. It 
 was her opening experiment in psychology. 
 
 Yes, Carolyn would wait, and began to 
 roam about the office idly, hands in coat 
 pockets, chin up, whistling softly. Rosa- 
 mund, from the determined way in which 
 she was going through the pile of photo- 
 graphs, intended to wait, also. She would 
 see what some of these women were like, 
 who came to see Hall Bonistelle! She had 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 already appraised Carolyn: — not pretty, con- 
 sequently not dangerous; still it would do no 
 harm to watch her. So Flodie left them 
 but saw to it that the stock-room door was 
 not quite closed. 
 
 Carolyn Dallys, up to this time, had not 
 taken Hall's proposal in very great earnest. 
 Hall was personable, and she liked him, but 
 it was scarcely in her scheme of things to 
 marry a photographer, even an artist pho- 
 tographer with a name. Hall amused her, 
 and in another environment she and he could 
 have hit it off as a married couple as well as, 
 or better, than most. It would not have been 
 a passionate love-affair, but the union would 
 probably have been decently happy. But the 
 limited income of a profession like Hall's? 
 Never! Still, no matter how accustomed to 
 proposals of marriage a girl may be, one 
 from a man who is well born, well bred and 
 handsome to boot, can be depended on to 
 keep her in a pleasant glow for some hours, 
 whether she intends to accept him or not 
 Carolyn was in this comfortable state. It 
 162 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 was enjoyable to think of Hall in anxious 
 suspense, waiting for her word. 
 
 But, it must be remembered, this, too, was 
 precisely Rosamund's attitude. She, also, at 
 the present time was resolved to let him perish. 
 But neither of the two wished to be deprived 
 of the satisfaction of refusing him. Try to 
 take the half-dead mouse from the claws of 
 the playful cat! 
 
 The situation, therefore, was tense; it held 
 potential conflict. Flodie, listening from the 
 stock-room, waited eagerly for the first shot. 
 There was, however, a little preliminary 
 skirmishing necessary; neither of the two 
 foes had yet recognized the presence of a 
 rival. 
 
 Rosamund, with beauty's contempt for 
 mere brains, had returned to her inspection 
 of the photographs, when a careless gesture 
 sent some dozens of the prints slipping, slid- 
 ing, falling to the floor. With an expression 
 of annoyance she stooped to pick them up. 
 Carolyn watched her. When two or three 
 handfuls had been returned to the table, and 
 163 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund, listless and restless, had taken 
 a new pose, one picture remained at her feet. 
 Carolyn good-naturedly walked over and 
 picked it up, then looked at it, smiling. 
 Rosamund became intrigued at once. 
 
 "Rather stunning, isn't it?" said Carolyn, 
 regarding the picture with the eye of a con- 
 noisseur. 
 
 It was one of Hall Bonistelle's earlier 
 attempts, a not unsuccessful Velasquez effect. 
 But it had none of the popular magazine- 
 cover beauty which alone Rosamund under- 
 stood, and she could afford to be complacent. 
 
 "Oh — ^yes," she admitted, a bit reluctantly, 
 with a rising inflection. And then, "Wonder 
 who it is. D'you know?" 
 
 "Mrs. Royalton. A friend of Mr. Bonis- 
 telle." Carolyn's lip had the slightest curl, 
 in her eyes was a subtle gleam. 
 
 "Oh!" Rosamund's interest was renewed. 
 She gave it another look, and added petulant- 
 ly: "Mr. Bonistelle seems to have a good 
 many friends 1" 
 
 Carolyn was frankly amused; enough to 
 164 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 say, "Oh, yes; in fact, I'm one, myself!" She 
 gave a sharp woman-to-woman glance at 
 Rosamund. 
 
 "Indeed?" Rosamund's little smile was 
 acid. She drew herself up. "Well, then, 
 when it comes down to it, so am I." The 
 two women's eyes flashed liked crossed 
 rapiers. 
 
 "We certainly ought to be friends, then," 
 said Carolyn, shrugging her shoulders. There 
 was but the faintest trace of mirth in her 
 tone, not enough for Rosamund to register; 
 but the hostility underneath, Rosamund per- 
 ceived, oh, easily enough. 
 
 "Perhaps you think," Carolyn went on, 
 smiling, as Rosamund was silent, "that that's 
 a good reason for our not being friends." 
 
 This was in the modern mode; but frank- 
 ness was not at all the game that Rosamund 
 played best; wherefore she hastened to pro- 
 test, "Oh, no, indeed! Why should you 
 think that?" 
 
 Carolyn laughed; she was now thoroughly 
 enjoying herself. "Well, then, I'm Carolyn 
 165 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Dallys," she volunteered. "I think you must 
 be Miss Gale, aren't you? I've seen Hall's 
 pictures of you, you know." Something 
 suspicious in Rosamund's face impelled her 
 to add mischievously, "And he's often spoken 
 to me about you." 
 
 Rosamund showed her irritation at the 
 patronizing air of familiarity only by the 
 slightest flush. "Indeed," she said, "it's 
 queer he hasn't told me about you" 
 
 "Oh, there's very little to tell." That was 
 what Carolyn's lips said, but her whole face 
 told a different story. In the woman's 
 language of smiles she was an adept, and 
 Carolyn's smile was cruel. 
 
 It was now evident that, unless Rosamund 
 could distinguish herself from the vast horde 
 of Hall Bonistelle's female friends, she 
 would expire of shame. Carolyn, without 
 knowing exactly what caused the girl to suf- 
 fer, was rejoicing in her lack of ease. She 
 watched Rosamund grope for an effectual 
 reply. At last it came with a proud toss of 
 the blond head and a flash of the golden 
 brown eyes. 
 
 166 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, I see," she said. "I didn't know, 
 by the way you spoke first, but perhaps you 
 knew him pretty well. Of course Hall and 
 I are quite good friends, you know." 
 
 "Yes?" Carolyn was more attentive. 
 
 "Not that I've known him for such a long 
 time, I don't mean, exactly; but — well, we're 
 quite intimate." 
 
 Carolyn gave her a keen look, but did 
 not show that she was particularly affected. 
 "Really? Why, I rather understand he was 
 interested in some one else." 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know; one of his customers, 
 I believe." 
 
 "Oh, no. I would surely know of it if 
 he were." 
 
 "Well, you are intimate then!" Carolyn 
 was now thoroughly awake. "Does Hall 
 Bonistelle tell you every little thing. Miss 
 Gale?" 
 
 "Oh, you know what I mean. I'd be likely 
 to know if he were especially partial to any 
 one else." 
 
 "Any one else! Oh!" she paused, then 
 167 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY^ 
 
 added artfully: "I should think that that 
 would be the last thing you'd know — if he's 
 like most men." 
 
 "Oh, no," said Rosamund placidly. "Of 
 course, you understand, there's a good reason 
 for it. I mean I have a right to know, you 
 know." 
 
 "Why, no. Miss Gale, I don't know that 
 I do know, you know." She drew her chair 
 up to Rosamund, and sat down deliberately. 
 "Would you mind telling me what particular 
 right you have?" Carolyn, at last, had 
 dropped her banter. This was straight from 
 the shoulder. 
 
 "Oh, I can hardly go into that," Rosa- 
 mund said softly, satisfied by her victory. 
 
 "Well," said Carolyn calmly, "I . don't see 
 but one reason why you should have such a 
 right, as you call it. Of course, if you were 
 engaged to him -" 
 
 "Well, what if I were?" Rosamund asked 
 with scorn. 
 
 "Nothing, only I happen to know that 
 you're not." 
 
 168 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, do you? Well / happen to know 
 that you know nothing of the sort!" 
 
 Flodie, behind the shelter of thje door, 
 hugged herself in delight. 
 
 Carolyn stared at the girl, puzzled. "Do 
 you mean to tell me," she said finally, "that 
 you are engaged to Hall Bonistelle?" 
 
 Rosamund stirred uneasily, and pouted. 
 "Well, no; not exactly, that is. But I could 
 be, if I wanted to." 
 
 "What?" Carolyn exclaimed. "Has he 
 proposed to you?" 
 
 Rosamund nodded sedately. "He's wait- 
 ing for my answer right now." 
 
 Carolyn jumped up excitedly, and was 
 about to speak, when Flodie, smiling like a 
 book agent, bustled into the room. She 
 walked up to Carolyn. "Oh, here are your 
 proofs. Miss Dallys," she said blithely. "I'm 
 sorry I kept you waiting so long." She 
 turned toward Rosamund. "Oh, I see you 
 have met Miss Gale, so I don't need to in- 
 troduce you." 
 
 "No," Carolyn answered, taking the proofs 
 169 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 without looking at thepi. "Miss Gale and I 
 have made ourselves acquainted, while we 
 were waiting, thank you." 
 
 Flodie turned to Rosamund. "Miss Dal- 
 lys is a very intimate friend of Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, you know." 
 
 All the starch went out of Rosamund's 
 pose. "She isf" She gazed at Carolyn as 
 at a zebra. 
 
 Carolyn shrugged her shoulders and gave 
 a casual glance at the proofs. "Oh, Miss 
 Fisher," she said, "would you mind printing 
 another one of each of these two? I'd like 
 to send them to my mother, and see which 
 one she likes better." She handed them back 
 to Flodie. "I'll wait," she added, her eyes on 
 Rosamund. 
 
 "Very well, certainly; it won't take long." 
 Flodie gave a satisfied glance at the two 
 women, and walked toward the door. They 
 were both obviously waiting for her to go 
 before resuming hostilities. On the thresh- 
 old Flodie hesitated. "I'm sorry I haven't 
 anything to entertain you with while you're 
 waiting. Only the pictures." 
 170. 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, don't worry, we'll entertain ourselves 
 all right," said Carolyn with sharp, biting 
 emphasis. 
 
 Rosamund added, "I think I'll wait here 
 a little while, too. Miss Fisher. Miss Dal- 
 lys is really so very interesting." 
 
 Flodie smiled. "Well, all right. Miss Gale, 
 I knew you'd like her." So saying, she dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 Carolyn, who had been walking up and 
 down impatiently, now approached Rosa- 
 mund. "See here. Miss Gale," she said, "I'd 
 like to know when Hall Bonistelle proposed 
 to you." 
 
 "You seem to be awfully interested in my 
 affairs. Miss Dallys." 
 
 Carolyn let down a little, and laughed, not 
 too amiably. "Yes, I must confess I am 
 interested, rather." 
 
 "I fail to see how it is any of your busi- 
 ness." 
 
 "No? Well then, I suppose I shall have 
 to tell you. The fact is, Hall Bonistelle has 
 just proposed to me." 
 
 "What?" Rosamund rose, amazed, indig- 
 171 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 nant. "He never!" she exclaimed. "How 
 ridiculous !" 
 
 "Yes, it is ridiculous, I admit; but it's 
 true, nevertheless." 
 
 "Why, Miss Dallys, you must be joking!" 
 Rosamund still stared, dumfounded. "Why, 
 it was only this morning he spoke to me " 
 
 "What time?" 
 
 "Why? Does the particular minute make 
 any difference, I'd like to know. Miss Dal- 
 lys?" 
 
 "Yes, as it happens, it makes all the dif- 
 ference in the world, Miss Gale. Mr. Bon- 
 istelle proposed to me at about — let's see — 
 ten-thirty, I think it was." 
 
 Rosamund met her eye to eye. "Well, he 
 proposed to me at exactly a quarter to 
 eleven. I noticed the clock." 
 
 "Oh, did you! I didn't; but I'll take your 
 word for it. Narrow escape, wasn't it!" 
 Carolyn's laugh was hard and mirthless. 
 
 "Do you mean to say — " Rosamund be- 
 gan. 
 
 "I mean to say it's altogether too much 
 172 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 for me. There's something queer about it. 
 See here, Miss Gale, let's get to the bottom 
 of this thing!" 
 
 "But I never heard of such a thing in my 
 life!" Poor Rosamund stared blankly at 
 her rival. 
 
 "No," said Carolyn dryly, "it doesn't hap- 
 pen often, I hope; but there's no use in get- 
 ting excited over it." 
 
 "Excited! Are you going to stand for a 
 thing like that? Are you going to let Hall 
 Bonistelle make a fool of you?" 
 
 "Wait a moment!" Carolyn stopped her 
 with an uplifted hand. "He hasn't made a 
 fool of me yet. No man has. What I want 
 to know, first, is which one of us he wants." 
 
 "Which he wants! Well, I like that! Do 
 you mean to say you'd accept a man who 
 had treated you like that?" 
 
 "No, Miss Gale, candidly, I wouldn't. And, 
 between you and me, I don't mind telling 
 you I wouldn't accept him in any circum- 
 stances. I never had any idea of accepting 
 him." 
 
 173 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, didn't you! Well, neither did I, 
 for that matter!" Rosamund was fine and 
 haughty. "I expect to get some one a little 
 better than Hall Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Oh, indeed?" Carolyn gazed at her 
 wickedly. "But I thought you said he was 
 waiting for your answer." 
 
 Rosamund flinched, but recovered to sneer, 
 "Well, then, what answer did you give him, 
 I'd like to know!" 
 
 Carolyn was, for a moment, nonplused. 
 "Oh," she replied finally, "I didn't want to 
 throw him down too hard, you know. I 
 said I'd let him know later, so that I could 
 break it to him gently." 
 
 "Exactly. So did I!" Rosamund, tri- 
 umphant, scrambled upon Carolyn's life-boat- 
 "But I don't intend to break it to him very 
 gently, after this!" 
 
 "No." Carolyn reflected grimly. "We 
 ought to make it just a little hard for him, 
 don't you think? We might even torture 
 him a bit — if possible. The question is, how 
 to do it." She contemplated Rosamund, 
 musing on revenge. 
 
 174 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "I don't understand it at all!" Rosamund 
 complained. "Why in the world should a 
 man act like that?" 
 
 "My dear Miss Gale, I don't know. But 
 I do know that it's just like men. You never 
 can tell what they'll do. They are naturally 
 more romantic than women, and they have 
 strange fancies. I never knew a man yet, 
 who didn't, sooner or later, explode. That's 
 the only word for it; they explode. You 
 think you know them — ^you think you're 
 perfectly safe — years go by and they seem 
 perfectly human and rational — and then — 
 piff! They explode. No woman yet has 
 ever solved the mystery." 
 
 Rosamund thought men over in general, 
 and came back to her specific man. "Well, 
 I certainly thought he was in earnest. Why," 
 she reflected, "he must have been in earnest!" 
 She colored and stopped suddenly to ad- 
 dress Carolyn directly. "Miss Dallys, would 
 you mind telling me something I should 
 very much like to know?" 
 
 "What?" Carolyn's eyes lighted. 
 
 "Did Hall kiss you?" 
 175 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Kiss me!" Carolyn was vastly superior. 
 "I guess not! Of course, he tried to." 
 
 Rosamund tossed her pretty head. "Well, 
 he didn't try to kiss me! He just did it. 
 He couldn't help it. I couldn't stop him!" 
 
 "Oh, well, you see, perhaps I'm different. 
 I'm not exactly used to that sort of thing," 
 said Carolyn good-naturedly. "I don't care 
 for it, really, Miss Gale." 
 
 Rosamund's suavity was perfect as she 
 looked Carolyn over pragmatically. "No, 
 I don't suppose you would be the sort of 
 woman that — well, that men lose their heads 
 over. Of course, I don't mean to say you're 
 not good-looking, and all that, you know; 
 but you're so intellectual, you know. I wish 
 sometimes I was that way myself. It would 
 save a lot of trouble." She sighed. 
 
 "Oh, I consider it my duty to nip that 
 sort of thing in the bud," said Carolyn. "A 
 woman can always prevent it if she cares to. 
 Of course, if you care to go in for familiar- 
 ity with a man, it's different. I prefer to 
 wait until I'm engaged." 
 176 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Why, for heaven's sake," Rosamund ex- 
 claimed, "haven't you ever been engaged?" 
 She stared at the phenomenon. 
 
 "No," was Carolyn's self-satisfied reply, 
 "I've never found a man good enough." 
 
 "Funny you let Hall Bonistelle go so far 
 v^rith you, wasn't it! Say, he must have 
 shocked you awfully!" 
 
 "Now, see here!" said Carolyn firmly, 
 putting her hand on Rosamund's arm. 
 "There's no use in our bickering like this. 
 Don't you realize that we're in the same 
 boat? Now, you say you don't want to 
 marry Hall. I'd like to be sure, though, be- 
 fore I go any further." 
 
 "Oh, you needn't worry," cried Rosamund, 
 "you can have him, so far as I'm concerned !" 
 
 Carolyn couldn't help from smiling, now; 
 Rosamund was too much for her. "Oh, 
 thank you very much; but I have other plans 
 for him. And we ought to try to find out 
 what in the world he's up to." 
 
 "Do you suppose it could possibly be a 
 joke?" Rosamund asked anxiously. 
 177 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "It looks to me," said Carolyn, reflecting, 
 "as if somebody had slipped a powder or 
 something into his coffee. Or, it may be a 
 disease. Incipient insanity, perhaps. No 
 doubt he's going about proposing to every- 
 one to-day, and " 
 
 Carolyn paused. The door was opening. 
 Mrs. Royalton entered. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, in an almost too-vivid 
 shade of purple, was, in contrast to the two 
 rather excited women already there, calm, 
 cool and confident. Things were going very 
 well with Rena Royalton; she had a man in 
 her pocket. Rena was getting on; thirty-five 
 had struck its warning bell; if she were go- 
 ing to be married again, why not now? 
 Wasn't Hall Bonistelle handsome? Wasn't 
 he well born and bred? Surely she would 
 never have to be ashamed of him. Of course 
 he had no money. Of course, too, he had to 
 work for a living, but then, he had a profes- 
 sion, if not really an art. Besides, Rena had 
 a small income herself; she would be able 
 to dress vyrell enough. Most of all, perhaps, 
 
 17a 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY, 
 
 in the list of Hall's attractions, she was 
 swayed by the knowledge that he was popu- 
 lar. Women "ran after him." To a younger 
 woman this might have seemed a disadvan- 
 tage, but to one of Mrs. Royalton's uncertain 
 age, her proprietorship of him would confer 
 prestige. Rena had thought him over, and 
 decided to accept him. She entered, there- 
 fore, in a most becomingly amiable state of 
 mind, lofty and somewhat detached. 
 
 To Carolyn she gave a smiling but suspici- 
 ous, "Why, hello, Carolyn! You here again?" 
 and to Rosamund the quick unconscious 
 tribute due the natural blonde. Her eyes re- 
 turned to Carolyn, a little troubled. "I 
 didn't expect to see you again so soon, my 
 dear!" she said. 
 
 Carolyn laughed. "Nor I you, my dear!" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton seemed embarrassed. "Oh, 
 why, I've only just dropped in for my proofs ; 
 Miss Fisher telephoned me they were ready." 
 
 "Well, that's what I came for, too. She's 
 in there working on them, now." Carolyn 
 nodded toward the stock-room. 
 179 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund, meanwhile, was staring at the 
 prototype of the portrait which had started 
 the discussion of Hall's intimacies. Caro- 
 lyn, noticing, introduced her. Rosamund, 
 however, did not interest Rena Royalton so 
 much as did Carolyn herself. Rena had not 
 yet forgotten the picture of Hall and Caro- 
 lyn together on the bench in the studio when 
 she had left that forenoon. It worried her a 
 little. 
 
 "Where is Mr. Bonistelle?" she asked. 
 
 "Oh, he's out — as usual," said Carolyn. 
 "I expect Miss Fisher will attend to you, 
 though." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton shrugged her shoulders. 
 "Miss Fisher will hardly do for what I 
 want," she said. "I'm afraid I'll have to 
 see Mr. Bonistelle himself." 
 
 Rosamund frowned, but Carolyn only 
 raised her eyebrows. "Why, I thought Miss 
 Fisher knew more about Hall's business than 
 he did himself," she said carelessly. 
 
 "Oh, I know, but it doesn't happen to he 
 business, this time, my dear." Mrs. Royalton 
 180 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 laughed absent-mindedly. "0£ course I do 
 want to see my proofs, but — well, I've simply 
 got to see Mr. Bonistelle, that's all. It's 
 very important." 
 
 "Oh, well, I expect Hall will be back be- 
 fore long," said Carolyn. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, placid as a cow, eyed her 
 for a moment, then remarked slowly, meditat- 
 ing, "You call him Hall, don't you! I hadn't 
 known you were so intimate." 
 
 "Oh, lord, yes. I always call him Hall." 
 Carolyn was beginning to be amused. 
 
 Rosamund tossed her head and crossed her 
 feet, watching the newcomer sharply. 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Royalton, primly ironi- 
 cal, "I'm delighted that you know him so 
 well, my dear!" 
 
 "Well, now I come to think of it, Rena, I 
 don't know that I do know him quite so well 
 as I thought, after all." She exchahged a 
 smile with Rosamund, who laughed aloud, 
 harshly, causing Mrs. Royalton to turn and 
 stare at her. 
 
 "I'm afraid I fail to see the joke," she 
 181 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 said haughtily. "But of course Hall Bonis- 
 telle isn't at all the sort of man one sees 
 through at a glance, you know. He's deep; 
 a very subtle person, in fact. However," she 
 smiled complacently, "I flatter myself that 
 / understand him a little better than I did." 
 
 Carolyn shot her a suspicious glance. 
 "Why?" she demanded. "Made any recent 
 discoveries ?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton deliberately nodded up and 
 down, and smiled cryptically. 
 
 Carolyn went after her. "Well, if you 
 can explain him, I'd like to be enlightened, 
 I must say. He's too much for me. I don't 
 understand him at all, lately." 
 
 "Oh, well, yes. Hall must have seemed 
 peculiar, I suppose. It's nothing, but " 
 
 "But what?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know — I fancy he has some- 
 thing on his mind — in fact, I know he has — 
 there's a, well, a sort of crisis — yes, I sup- 
 pose he would appear a little excited — ^but 
 of course I really have no business discussing 
 it." 
 
 182 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "What in the world are you talking about, 
 Rena?" Carolyn exclaimed. 
 
 "Why, I'm talking about Hall Bonistelle, 
 of course!" 
 
 "Well, you're not saying much." 
 
 "Never mind, Carolyn, dear, it isn't be- 
 cause I haven't anything to say! You don't 
 expect me to go about repeating things he 
 has said to me in confidence, do you?" 
 
 "Oh!" said Carolyn, narrowing her eyes, 
 "then Hall has been confiding in you, too, 
 has he?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton smiled with satisfaction, 
 and cast her glance at the ceiling. "Well, 
 I might give you a little surprise, perhaps, 
 Carolyn. But you'll have to wait, I'm afraid. 
 All in good time, my dear." She patted 
 Carolyn's hand. 
 
 By this time Rosamund was hard on the 
 scent, having almost caught up to Carolyn's 
 suspicions. She said nothing, but her eyes 
 were hot and shining, as she scrutinized Mrs. 
 Royalton's face. 
 
 "See here," said Carolyn, now thoroughly 
 183 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 interested, "I don't see why I haven't a right 
 to know. I'm a pretty good friend of 
 Hall's — ^you know that — and I think you 
 ought to be able to trust me." 
 
 "Well, it isn't only trusting you — " Mrs. 
 Royalton looked significantly at Rosamund, 
 sulkily listening. 
 
 "Oh, don't mind Miss Gale! She and I 
 are old and warm friends! Aren't we. Miss 
 Gale?" 
 
 "Well, we're not exactly old friends," said 
 Rosamund sarcastically, "but we're warm 
 enough, I guess." 
 
 "Well, it doesn't matter, I suppose," said 
 Mrs. Royalton, "I've said about all I can on 
 the subject, anyway." She became immens- 
 ly patronizing. "I wouldn't have said even 
 that, Carolyn, only I don't want you to — 
 well, you know, you're coming round here 
 so often and all that, you know what I mean 
 — really, I'm awfully fond of you, my dear, 
 and I wouldn't want you — well, you might 
 possibly feel hurt, you know, and you're too 
 sweet a girl to have to find things out too 
 184 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 late. Really, it's only for your own good, 
 you know — and — well, that's all I can say 
 now." She paused, embarrassed. The two 
 girls were staring, open-mouthed, scarcely 
 able to control their amazement. 
 
 "Well, I declare!" said Carolyn calmly, 
 "Rena Royalton, either you're making an 
 awful fool of yourself, or else Hall Bonis- 
 telle has actually " 
 
 She got no further. Flodie, head up, with 
 a busy air, bustled into the room, carrying 
 a handful of prints. She stopped suddenly, 
 with a fine imitation of surprise, and gazed 
 at Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Oh, Mrs. Royalton!" she exclaimed. 
 "Why didn't you let me know you were here? 
 I've got your proofs all ready for you. I 
 think they are splendid!" 
 
 She handed them over, and approached 
 Carolyn with two other proofs. "Here are 
 yours. Miss Dallys. I'm sorry to have kept 
 you waiting so long." She returned to Mrs. 
 Royalton. 
 
 "Oh, how I dread to lod^ at them !" that 
 185 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 lady was saying. She was, nevertheless, perus- 
 ing them hungrily. 
 
 Flodie hung caressingly over her shoulder, 
 and pointed to a print. "Oh, that's the one 
 Mr. Bonistelle thought was so stunning," she 
 purred. "It's awfully artistic, of course, but 
 I don't think it does you justice at all, Mrs. 
 Royalton. You're so aristocratic!" She 
 pawed them over like a kitten. "Now thafs 
 the one I'm crazy about. Look at those eyes ! 
 Aren't they gorgeous?" 
 
 Carolyn meanwhile, had stridden across the 
 room to Rosamund; and as Mrs. Royalton 
 lost herself in her portraits, the two girls 
 whispered. Carolyn was excited, but amused. 
 Why, it was too amazing! Did any one ever 
 hear of such a thing! Sulkily incredulous, 
 Rosamund questioned her. Could it be? No, 
 it was impossible! But what else could Rena 
 have meant? Hall must have gone mad, 
 then! All proposed to in a single day? Two 
 was strange enough, but three! No, Rosa- 
 mund couldn't believe it. Carolyn persisted 
 — she knew Rena, she was sure of it. "Look 
 186 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 at her now! The conceit! Just wait till 
 Miss Fisher has gone, and then watch me 
 get it out of her! You'll see!" So they 
 conspired, while Mrs. Royalton reveled in 
 her own pictures. 
 
 "Oh, I don't like that one— . . . Really? 
 . . . Why, I look a hundred years old! . . . 
 There! That's more like me . . . Yes, isn't 
 it! But then, I'm always good in profile 
 . . . No, I don't agree with you at all. That 
 lock of hair spoils the whole thing . . . Yes, 
 I know, but retouching always takes the life 
 out of it . . . Where's that one I liked, just 
 now? . . . No, not that one — it was a full 
 face . . . Here, was that it? . . . Why don't 
 you like it? . . . No, I don't think there's 
 much distinction to it . . . Yes, of course, 
 it is natural, but then — . . . Which one do 
 you like best. Miss Fisher? . . . No, do 
 you? Why, I think it's awful. My eyes are 
 so hard to take right; you don't get the soul 
 in them, somehow . . . Oh, I think I ought 
 to try another sitting, don't you? . , . Say, 
 where is Mr. Bonistelle, anyway?" 
 187 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, he had a few errands to do," said 
 Flodie, with a sharp eye on the girls in the 
 corner. "He probably won't be back till 
 five." 
 
 "Oh, dear!" Mrs. Royalton's head dropped 
 on her hand, and she gazed at the wall 
 languidly. "I did so want to see him!" 
 
 "Oh, possibly he may be back before then. 
 You might wait, if you care to." 
 
 "I think I will," said Mrs. Royalton 
 thoughtfully. 
 
 There came a ring at the telephone. Flo- 
 die jumped to snatch up the receiver. 
 
 "Hello! . . . Yes . . . Why, what's the 
 matter? . . . Oh, naturally . . . Wait just a 
 minute, please!" 
 
 Flodie stopped and held her hand over 
 the transmitter. "Oh, Miss Dallys, would you 
 and Miss Gale mind not talking quite so loud 
 for a minute? I can't hear very well." 
 
 There was a long pause, and the three 
 
 women, all studying Flodie's face, saw a 
 
 dozen different expressions pass over it in 
 
 quick succession. Then she spoke again: 
 
 188 
 
LOVE IK A HURRY 
 
 "Really? Oh, you know, Mr. Bonistelle — 
 well, personally I loathe them . . . Oh, I 
 don't know, but a big diamond is so funny, 
 somehow . . . Why, they always make me 
 want to shriek when I see them . . . What? 
 . . . Yes, sir! that's what I prefer myself, 
 every time! . . . Well, good rubies are ex- 
 pensive, I know . . . well then, perhaps — of 
 course, I suppose most women do . . ." An- 
 other long pause. Not a sound in the room. 
 The three women were spellbound. Caro- 
 lyn smiled grimly. Mrs. Royalton lowered; 
 Rosamund's eyes were like glass. Then: 
 "Oh, yes . . . well, I know ... Oh, Mr. 
 Bonistelle, that's dreadful! Oh, but it's 
 awful to pawn that! Why, it was your 
 father's, wasn't it? . . . Well, of course you 
 know best . . . Oh, didn't you? Well, I 
 might send it by the janitor . . . where did 
 you leave it? . . . Oh, all right, then, I 
 suppose that would be safer . . . When will 
 you be here? ... All right, good -by!" 
 
 Indiscreet? Never! How was Flodie to 
 know that her three callers had each expected 
 189 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 the engagement ring? To be sure, Hall had 
 told her, but they didn't know that! She 
 was one against three, fighting with any 
 weapon she could find, and the call had come 
 just in the nick of time. She looked so 
 childish and artless, as she rose, that not one 
 of the three thought of suspecting her. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton and Rosamund still sat as 
 if entranced, but Carolyn Dallys rose im- 
 patiently now, and glanced about, as if in 
 search of an excuse. The room was tensely 
 charged with electricity. It was evident that, 
 in another minute, the explosion must come. 
 But, first, how to get rid of this important, 
 busy little Miss Fisher? 
 
 Flodie herself answered the unvoiced ques- 
 tion. Wasn't she as desirous as any of them 
 to bring the thing to a head? Yes; so she 
 must fly and leave the field of battle clear. 
 "I've got some rush work to attend to, Mrs. 
 Royalton, if you'll excuse me," she said. 
 "You select the proofs you wish, and mark 
 them with an X, and I'll see that they're put 
 right through." She bustled from one to 
 190 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 the other. "Miss Dallys, you'll mail yours 
 back, I suppose, after your mother has seen 
 them and made her selection? I'm going to 
 work on yours now. Miss Gale, if you care 
 to wait. Go into the studio or the reception- 
 room, if you prefer." She smiled hospita- 
 bly. "I think Mr. Bonistelle may be back in 
 a little while," she added. "He's forgotten 
 -his watch, and has to come back for it — he 
 has to have it repaired." She shook her head 
 with a quaint maternal solicitude. "Mr. Bon- 
 istelle's awfully thoughtless. It's too bad. 
 Why, I've known him to forget what he did 
 less than fifteen minutes before!" Still smil- 
 ing, she disappeared into the stock-room. She 
 left the door ajar. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton rose, with a self-conscious 
 smile. "Well, Carolyn," she said, "I suppose 
 I'll have to tell you, now. It is most unfor- 
 tunate that Miss Fisher wasn't more discreet 
 in her conversation. But so long as she 
 has let the cat out of the bag, I might as 
 well inform you that the ring she was talking 
 to Hall about, is for this finger!" She held 
 191 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 up her left hand, her thumb pointing to her 
 third finger. 
 
 Carolyn, with a whoop, fell into Rosa- 
 mund's arms, and the two laughed until they 
 cried. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton stared as if they had sud- 
 denly gone mad. Then she exclaimed angri- 
 ly, "I'd like to know what there is to laugh 
 at! I don't see anything particularly amus- 
 ing in the fact that I'm going to marry Hall 
 Bonistelle !" 
 
 "Oh, don't you?" Carolyn gurgled. "Miss 
 Gale, do you see anjdihing funny in it?" 
 
 "Funny! It's a scream!" Rosamund 
 shouted with mirth. "Who'll be the next 
 one?" 
 
 "Oh, the more the merrier!" cried Caro- 
 lyn. 
 
 Rosamund recovered the sooner from her 
 hysteria. She smiled wickedly. "Let me con- 
 gratulate you, Mrs. Royalton!" she said, giv- 
 ing a courtesy. 
 
 "I'd like to know what you have to say 
 about it!" Mrs. Royalton exclaimed, highly 
 192 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 offended at the evident mockery. "And I'd 
 like to know what you mean!" she added, to 
 Carolyn. "Why, it's the most insulting thing 
 I've ever seen! Will you kindly tell me what 
 you're laughing at?" 
 
 "Say, Mrs. Royalton," Rosamund broke 
 in rudely, "when did Hall Bonistelle propose 
 to you, anyway?" 
 
 Rena Royalton drew herself up proudly. 
 "I think you're exceedingly impertinent!" she 
 replied. 
 
 Carolyn dried her eyes on a lace handker- 
 chief. "Rena," she said, still giggling, "I 
 don't know whether it's too true to be funny, 
 or too funny to be true. But you ought to 
 be in on this, joke, really, my dear. It will 
 interest you strangely!" 
 
 "Well, I don't call it a joke. It's an out- 
 rage!" cried Rosamund. 
 
 "Say, Miss Gale," Carolyn turned confi- 
 dentially, "d'you know, we ought really to 
 form a society of the survivors, you know. 
 Rena's the oldest, and we'll elect her presi- 
 dent!" 
 
 193 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Mrs. Royalton stared from one to the other, 
 her temper rising. Finally she remarked 
 cuttingly, "I must say, Carolyn, I always 
 thought you were a lady!" 
 
 "Oh, I'm a lady all right. The question 
 is: Is Hall Bonistelle a gentleman?" 
 
 "You forget, my dear, that he is my 
 fiance." 
 
 Rosamund and Carolyn burst into laughter 
 again. 
 
 "Oh, no, we won't forget that! — if he 
 doesn't!" said Rosamund. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton walked swiftly toward the 
 door. 
 
 "Oh, don't go yet!" Carolyn called out. 
 "You've got a laugh coming to you, too, 
 Rena. You haven't heard our news, yet!" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton trembled on the threshold. 
 "Your news? What d'you mean?" 
 
 "For heaven's sake, put her out of her 
 misery!" said Rosamund. 
 
 "Oh, no, you tell her," Carolyn gasped. 
 "She'll never believe me." 
 
 "If you have any explanation to make, 
 194 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you'd better make it immediately," Mrs. 
 Royalton announced frigidly. "Otherwise, 
 I'm going!" 
 
 "Listen here," said Rosamund, walking 
 over to her coolly. "Hall Bonistelle proposed 
 to Miss Dallys at ten-thirty this morning 
 and he proposed to me at a quarter to eleven. 
 Now, what time did he propose to you?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton put out a hand trembling 
 with appeal. "Carolyn!" she implored. 
 
 Carolyn nodded unsympathetically. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton dropped into a chair, speech- 
 less, and burst into tears. Carolyn walked 
 up to her and laid a hand on the heaving 
 purple shoulder. "Brace up!" she said, "it 
 won't hurt but a minute! See here, Rena, 
 were you carried ofif your feet by his wild 
 wooing, or did you take notice of the time?" 
 
 But Mrs. Royalton was overcome. "Oh, 
 Carolyn, Carolyn, how can you!" 
 
 "How can I? Easy! I didn't have any- 
 body to hold my hand when I found out that 
 I was one among ten thousand. I guess you 
 can stand it." 
 
 195 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "But I was so — so happy! He told me 
 that I was " 
 
 "The only woman he ever loved?" Rosa- 
 mund put in, gleefully. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton swallowed and nodded. 
 Rosamund winked corroboration to Carolyn, 
 and added, pointing, "Only, onlier, onliest," 
 ending with herself. 
 
 "But, Rena," Carolyn insisted, "when did 
 it come off? Really we ought to know, you 
 know. Was it to-day?" 
 
 "Why — you saw me here this morning, 
 Carolyn," Mrs. Royalton sobbed, "I left just 
 after you came. It was — it was before that." 
 Her tears poured forth afresh. 
 
 Carolyn nodded to Rosamund. "Make 
 it ten-fifteen, then. I expect he proposes 
 every quarter of an hour, rain or shine." 
 
 "But I don't see," said Rosamund, "if she 
 accepted him, why he ever proposed to us!" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton looked up through big 
 teary tears. "Why," she said faintly, "you 
 see, well, I didn't give him a definite answer, 
 really. That is, not exactly — I said — " 
 
 m 
 
LOVE .IN A HURRY 
 
 "She said she'd tell him later!" the two 
 girls cried in unison, as if they had rehearsed 
 it. "To-night!" Rosamund added, and Car- 
 olyn, "Didn't you, now, Rena?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton nodded tremulously. "How 
 did you know?" 
 
 "Oh!" Carolyn shouted, "how did I 
 know! Oh, I know, all right! Listen! He 
 didn't try to kiss you, but he kissed you all 
 the same! He couldn't help it. But you 
 weren't surprised or indignant, you've been 
 engaged so often it was an old, old story." 
 She blew a kiss to Rosamund. "You couldn't 
 quite believe him, and so you couldn't decide. 
 And you're to give him your answer to-night 
 when you come to his unnatural old party! 
 Is that right?" 
 
 "Well, he must have wanted me most, any- 
 way," said Rena, drying her tears. "He pro- 
 posed to me first!" 
 
 Carolyn held up her hand. "Second 
 thoughts are always best! Meaning, — ^me!" 
 
 "He changed his mind, though," Rosamund 
 protested. "He proposed to me last!" 
 197 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY, 
 
 "Oh, well," said Mrs. Royalton, a little 
 restored by the excitement of conflict, "he 
 found he couldn't get me, and so he looked 
 about for the next best thing, I suppose." 
 
 "I don't know about that !" said Rosamund. 
 "It looks to me as if when I came in he 
 realized what a fool he had made of himself 
 over you!" 
 
 "All right, Miss Gale, let it go at that," 
 Carolyn remarked. "I admit that I ran a 
 bad second. But then, I didn't really want 
 him!" 
 
 "Neither did I, for that matter," Rosa- 
 mund cried hotly. 
 
 "Well, I didn't accept him, either, did I?" 
 Mrs. Royalton wailed. • 
 
 Carolyn grinned at her. "Why, he might 
 just as well have counted us out, like play- 
 ing tag to see who's It !" She pointed to each 
 in turn, calling out, " 'My — mother — told — 
 me — to — take — this — one !' " The last was 
 Rosamund. 
 
 "No, thanks!" Rosamund resumed. "I\ 
 don't intend to be It!" She dropped her 
 voice a little, glancing at the door. "Why, you 
 198 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ought to hear what Miss Fisher has been tell- 
 ing me about the business here! Why, it 
 seems Mr. Bonistelle's awfully hard up — 
 barely paying expenses — all sorts of unpaid 
 bills piling up, too. He may have to move 
 over to Sixth Avenue, even! Hasn't he got 
 a nerve, though?" 
 
 "Really?" said Carolyn. 
 
 "I didn't know it was so bad as that!" 
 Mrs. Royalton remarked, anxiously. 
 
 "It's a fact. I don't see how Hall Bonis- 
 telle is in any position to support a wife!" 
 
 "And least of all three!" added Carolyn. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton rose like a Spartan, de- 
 termined, hard. "Girls, I know what I'm 
 going to do! I intend to tell him just what I 
 think of him, and send him packing!" 
 
 "There!" Carolyn interposed. "Now, 
 you're talking, Rena! Let's get down to 
 business, and decide what to do. We're all 
 in the same fix and we must hold together." 
 
 "Yes, we ought to take a stand," Rena 
 agreed. 
 
 "And Hall ought to take a tumble!" from 
 Rosamund. 
 
 199 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "See here, let's do this thing according to 
 Hoyle," said Carolyn, taking the lead with 
 all her humor. "First thing is: Are we one 
 and all agreed to reject him to-night?" 
 
 "Yes!" Mrs. Royalton and Rosamund 
 came in chorus. 
 
 "It's unanimous, then. It seems to me we 
 ought to swear it, or sign our names in blood, 
 or something, to make it sacred; but I expect 
 a promise will have to do." She held up a 
 finger. "Rena Royalton, do you solemnly 
 promise to reject Hall Bonistelle if he asks 
 you again to-night?" 
 
 "I certainly do!" 
 
 "Miss Gale?" 
 
 "Of course!" 
 
 "Well, then," said Carolyn, "I promise, as 
 well. Hope to die!" She crossed herself. 
 "Now, this is a serious thing, ladies. No 
 one of us can go back on our word. It must 
 be one — -two — three — and out for H. Bonis- 
 telle. Well, that's agreed. Now for the de- 
 tails " 
 
 "Oh, I simply can't wait to tell him!" ex- 
 200 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 claimed Mrs. Royalton. "I hate the man!" 
 
 "So do I!" growled Rosamund. "I think 
 he ought to be horsewhipped!" 
 
 "Well," said Carolyn, "I must say I agree 
 with you both. I consider that Hall Bonis- 
 telle is a perfectly conceived and admirably 
 rendered cad!" 
 
 At this moment the door swung open, and, 
 humming a jolly tune, in walked Hall Bonis- 
 telle. There was a trio of "Oh's !" in soprano, 
 mezzo-soprano and contralto as the ladies 
 caught sight of him. 
 
 He came in with a smile, but, at first 
 glimpse of his visitors, it faded swiftly into 
 a look of terror. But Hall was game; he 
 pulled himself together and smiled again. 
 It was with a fairly creditable expression of 
 affability that he exclaimed, "Well, this is 
 an unexpected pleasure!" He went from one 
 to another offering his hand, then he drew off 
 his gloves and looked his guests over anx- 
 iously. "Well, ladies, is Miss Fisher treat- 
 ing you all right?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton was first to break the 
 201 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 silence. She smiled on Hall as a mother on 
 an only child. "Oh, yes, Mr. Bonistelle. 
 And I think you did wonders with me. You 
 certainly are an artist. My pictures are per- 
 fectly lovely ! I do wish I looked like them !" 
 Languishing she beamed upon him. "You've 
 been awfully good to me!" she said, and shot 
 a glance at Carolyn. 
 
 "Fine!" he said, highly pleased. "Like 
 yours. Miss Dallys?" 
 
 "Yes, you certainly can take pictures, Mr. 
 Bonistelle. But then, you take pains, you 
 know. You're so thorough! You're willing 
 to do things over and over again, aren't you, 
 until you're per-fect-ly suited." Carolyn's 
 eyes were earnest, straighforward, but there 
 was the tiniest curl to her lips. "If at first 
 you don't succeed, you try, try again. 
 Don't you?" She smiled, and sent a secret 
 look to Rosamund. 
 
 Hall moved a bit uneasily. "Well, I do 
 like to be suited, that's a fact." He turned 
 to Rosamund with a sense of relief. "Oh, 
 Miss Gale, I'm so sorry I didn't get time for 
 yours I" 
 
 202 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund was equal to the occasion. She 
 was in the feminine current of intrigue and 
 swam easily, gracefully, serene. "Oh, that's 
 all right," she answered sweetly. "I know 
 you've been awfully busy. Take your time." 
 Far-away was her look, with slightly lifted 
 eyebrows, but the two women knew what 
 was coming. "I've always noticed," she said, 
 "that when you do anything in a hurry, you 
 always make a botch of it." She sent Hall 
 a childlike glance. "Isn't that so, Hall?" 
 
 "Oh, yes — I suppose so. Still, I try to be 
 pretty particular when anything is really im- 
 portant." Hall was growing embarrassed. 
 The hints had not pierced his mental skin, 
 but he was uncomfortable. The atmosphere 
 was like that before a thunder-storm. But 
 he shook himself together. "I never like to 
 give my name to anything but the very best," 
 he added pompously. Would these women 
 never go? 
 
 Then he drew a breath of sudden relief. 
 Flodie was entering. Flodie was smiling. 
 Seeing that smile, he seemed to come to him- 
 self, as if after a disturbing dream. 
 203 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh!" said Flodie, "are you back already? 
 I was so busy I didn't hear you." 
 
 "Yes. I forgot my watch. You know I've 
 got to have it repaired. I'll get it now." He 
 turned to the ladies with a new enthusiasm. 
 "I'm awfully sorry I'm in such a hurry, but 
 I've got a lot to do this afternoon." 
 
 "Oh, don't let us keep you!" said Carolyn 
 gaily. "We can amuse ourselves." 
 
 "I didn't know you'd all met," he said, 
 looking at Rosamund. 
 
 "Oh, we've become great friends already," 
 she replied. 
 
 Flodie appeared nervous. "Miss Gale is 
 waiting for me to do her proofs, you know," 
 she said. "I've finished the others, Mr. Bon- 
 istelle. I think the ladies will excuse you; 
 I can attend to them, all right!" She walked 
 slowly back to the stock-room, giving him a 
 meaning glance as she left. 
 
 "Oh, yes, don't wait, Mr. Bonistelle," said 
 Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Well, I'll have to go then, I suppose. 
 Afake yourselves quite at home, ladies; I'll 
 be back in a minute." He left impatiently. 
 204 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Well, that man is going to get the star 
 surprise of his little life to-night," Carolyn 
 remarked. "I must say it looks as if it were 
 going to be a perfectly lovely party!" 
 
 Rena spoke up. "Carolyn, what d'you 
 think? It seems to me we ought to — you 
 know — lead him on a little, first." 
 
 "That's right!" chimed in Rosamund. 
 "Jolly him along to the limit and then — 
 Zowie!" 
 
 "We ought to dress the part, too," Mrs. 
 Royalton suggested reflectively. "There's no 
 harm in making ourselves as effective as pos- 
 sible. What are you going to wear, Caro- 
 lyn?" 
 
 Carolyn thought a moment. "Say, we've 
 got so much to talk over, we can't discuss it 
 here. Hall may be back any moment. I'll 
 tell you. Wait a moment!" She walked up 
 to the stock-room door and opened it. "Miss 
 Fisher!" she called. 
 
 Flodie appeared, wondering what she could 
 be wanted for. 
 
 "I say. Miss Fisher, couldn't .we go into 
 the reception-room for a while ? , We've got 
 205 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 some things to talk over. About the party 
 to-night, you know." 
 
 "Why, certainly," was Flodie's reply. "The 
 studio's being decorated, but the reception- 
 room is all ready, and nobody will disturb 
 you. Go right in." 
 
 "Come on!" said Carolyn, turning to the 
 other ladies. "We'll have it out right now, 
 and decide on everything." She led the way 
 in. 
 
 Hardly had they disappeared when Flodie 
 emerged again. She took a step toward the 
 door they had left ajar, and listened. Then 
 she sat down at her desk, smiling. 
 
 "So far, so good!" she thought. Her 
 scheme had worked perfectly. It was not 
 for nothing that Flodie had watched women, 
 laughed at them, analyzed them and filed 
 them away in her mind. But now, what? 
 Was she any nearer to getting Hall for her- 
 self? Dubiously she considered her pros- 
 pects. She must find some way to show him 
 that she, and not one of these silly idle 
 women was the wife for him. She smiled 
 206 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY, 
 
 with satisfaction at her victory over them, 
 but she was still too anxious to be able to 
 enjoy the grim humor of the situation, even 
 though, as she sat, drawing squares and cir- 
 cles on her blotter, she could hear the high, 
 excited, feminine gabble in the next room. 
 Well, she had at least saved Hall from them 
 — egotistic, frivolous and mercenary — but how 
 should she discover to him, in any decently 
 modest, permissible way, her own love, which 
 longed for him so hungrily? There was 
 nothing to do but await her chance and seize 
 any opportunity Fate might send her. All 
 this Flodie could not have put into words if 
 she would. It was an instinct deeper than 
 conscious thought — ^the instinct of the prime- 
 val woman in her, yearning for her mate. 
 In the struggle that instinct sharpened her 
 senses and her wits wonderfully. She was 
 as intensely concentrated on the effort as the 
 tiger waiting to leap on her prey. All to be 
 seen of it, however, was a little quaint, gray- 
 eyed girl, pathetically bending over her ac- 
 counts. 
 
 207 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Alfred Smallish now appeared, carrying 
 the remnants of the garlands, and his step- 
 ladder and tools. 
 
 "Well, I got it all done. Miss Fisher," he 
 said, and waited for a word. 
 
 "All right, Alfred, thank you." She rose 
 and peeped into the studio. "Oh, it's just 
 splendid, Alfred! It's even prettier than the 
 other room." 
 
 He grinned happily. "Mr. Bonistelle said 
 it was all right; but I'd a lot rather please 
 you!" 
 
 She had walked back to the desk and sat 
 down. "Do you really care as impossibly 
 much as you say, Alfred?" she asked pen- 
 sively. 
 
 "Oh, you just try me. Haven't you 
 thought of anything I can do — something 
 hard, I mean, yet?" 
 
 "No," she replied, "not yet. But I'll be 
 thinking, Alfred. Now you'd better jump 
 down-stairs and see if any of the chairses 
 or anything have come. I'm busy now." 
 She turned to her account book, and began to 
 write. 
 
 208 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "All right," he answered. But he paused. 
 Flodie, looking up, saw his face change, 
 lighted by a great renunciation. "Miss 
 Fisher," he said, "I suppose you don't be- 
 lieve me, but I want to tell you this : if I 
 thought it would make you happy, I'd go 
 into Mr. Bonistelle's room, there, and make 
 him propose to you! Honest, I would." He 
 disappeared. 
 
 Flodie's handkerchief flew to her eyes, and 
 dabbed them softly. She gulped a few times, 
 then bravely proceeded with the work she 
 had in hand. 
 
 It was not many minutes before Hall came 
 in, thoughtfully winding a gold watch. He 
 looked about, surprised. 
 
 "Where are they? Gone?" 
 
 "Oh, no," said Flodie. "In there!" She 
 nodded toward the reception-room. 
 
 Hall walked toward the door and looked 
 in. Flodie watched him sharply. "Say," 
 he said finally, turning to her, "there are 
 three mighty nice girls, did you know it?" 
 
 "H'm!" mumbled Flodie. 
 
 "They're all so sweet — by jove, I hardly 
 209 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 know which one I like best!" he went on. 
 "They're charming; don't you think so?" 
 
 Flodie was very busy writing in a little 
 book. "Yep," she said without looking up. 
 
 "No, but really, Flo!" 
 
 "Oh, yes; really." 
 
 "By jove, I hardly know which one I do 
 like best!" Hall peeped into the reception- 
 room again curiously, through a narrow slit 
 in the doorway. "Say, that Rosamund is 
 certainly a peach, all right! Beauty — ^that's 
 what counts, Flo!" He turned to her, but 
 she had already managed a smile and a sym- 
 pathetic nod. "Say, Flo, you take and dress 
 her up — can't you see her, Flo, sailing into 
 a reception, diamonds and everything — 
 everybody whispe^ring, "That's Mrs. Hall Bon- 
 istelle — the famous beauty !' " 
 
 He turned to his peep-hole again. Flodie's 
 head dropped for a moment on her arms on 
 the desk. Once her shoulders shook — ^then 
 she looked up again bravely. 
 
 "I don't know, though, after all," he went 
 on. "Carolyn's a deuced clever girl, d'you 
 210 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 know it? When it comes right down to 
 brains — " Again he appealed to his assist- 
 ant. How many times he had appealed — 
 never to miss her sympathy! "That's the 
 thing, confound it! Brains! Brains and 
 money — can you beat that, Flo? I tell you 
 that Vassar education of hers would come 
 in handy for Mrs. Hall Bonistelle! Oh, 
 she'd be talked about, all right!" Again he 
 turned to inspect his flock, and suddenly 
 cried, "Say!" in a new tone. 
 
 Flodie, startled, half rose. "What's the 
 matter, Mr. Bonistelle? Are they coming?" 
 
 "Oh, no. I was only thinking." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "I was thinking," he replied slowly, "about 
 Rena Royalton." 
 
 Flodie's fists clenched under the desk. 
 
 "Flodie, do you realize that Rena comes 
 of one of the best families in New York? 
 Why, damn it, she was a Van Bowerie! One 
 of the Rivington Van Boweries! I tell you 
 one thing, you wouldn't have to coach Rena 
 how to run a dinner party — or train servants, 
 211 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 or anything else! She's got blood, Flo — and 
 after all, blood will tell! You see — ^well, if 
 I should have any children — they wouldn't 
 have to be ashamed of their grandfather, 
 anyway." He paused a moment to think it 
 over. "Let's see; 'Rivington Bonistelle.' — 
 that wouldn't be a bad name, would it?" 
 
 This time, Flodie could not answer. 
 
 "I suppose I ivas crazy to speak to all three 
 of 'em," Hall continued. "It makes me feel 
 like a beast, somehow. It'll be rather tough 
 to throw two of 'em down, won't it? I 
 hadn't realized how nice they were, before." 
 
 "Well, you can't marry them all, can you?" 
 Flpdie looked up now, biting the end of her 
 penholder viciously. 
 
 "No, that's the deuce of it. I almost wish 
 I could." 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Well, then, I've got to jilt two of them. I 
 wonder which one will be the lucky girl! Of 
 course it all depends upon what they say to 
 me to-night." 
 
 He stopped suddenly, and turned to Flodie, 
 212 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Say, what are they talking about in there, 
 anyway ?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know. Clothes, hats, I guess." 
 Flodie held her breath. 
 
 He took another look. "Well, they are 
 tremendously absorbed in the subject, it 
 seems to me, whatever it is. They're chat- 
 tering like sparrows in there. Say, Flo, d'you 
 know, it gave me considerable of a shock 
 when I came in and found them all three to- 
 gether here, d'you know it?" 
 
 "Well, I should think it might." She sum- 
 moned up a smile. "It isn't often a man is 
 confronted by three contemporary sweet- 
 hearts. I was pretty nervous myself!" 
 
 "Nervous? Why?" He looked at her 
 sharply. 
 
 "Oh, well, perhaps it'll come out all right. 
 Only, — well, I never trust women." 
 
 "By jove!" His face changed swiftly. 
 "Say, Flo, if they should happen to swap con- 
 fidences there might be something doing! 
 Hey?" 
 
 "Yes, if they did." 
 213 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, pshaw, though, nice girls don't go 
 about telling their love-affairs, do they? 
 What the deuce are you laughing at?" 
 
 Flodie, indeed, was smiling at his simplicity, 
 but she refused to answer. 
 
 "Do you mean to say you think that they 
 would confide in one another?" he demanded. 
 
 "Oh, no!" said Flodie. "Nice girls never 
 get as intimate as that. On all subjects that 
 concern the heart, Mr. Bonistelle, women are 
 invariably as silent as the grave!" 
 
 He looked hard at her. "That's evidently 
 sarcasm. Say, I'm worried!" He walked 
 anxiously back to the door and looked in 
 again. "By jove," he exclaimed, "this is 
 getting on my nerves. Lord, if they should 
 find out! See here, what were they talking 
 about, while they were in here waiting? 
 D'you know?" 
 
 She looked up ingenuously, and replied, 
 "Oh, I was in the stock-room, printing 
 proofs. They were all alone here in the 
 office." 
 
 "Well, I wish to goodness you had listened. 
 214 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I'd hate to lose four millions of dollars on 
 account of them. See here, Flo, I can't stand 
 this. I feel as if I were smoking a pipe on 
 top of a barrel of gunpowder. There may 
 be an explosion any minute. You can't tell 
 what may touch it off — why, a single word, 
 perhaps. I'm not going to leave until they're 
 out of here. I don't care how long they 
 stay! I don't dare to, till I see what happens. 
 I'll go into my room now, and you call me 
 when they're gone, will you?" He waited on 
 the threshold of the studio. 
 
 Floddie nodded assent. "All right!" 
 "And," he continued, "if anything breaks, 
 you give me the tip and I'll get out the back 
 way!" He left, grinning sardonically. 
 
 As soon as he had gone Flodie rose and 
 tiptoed to the half-open door. She watched 
 and listened, now, with far more interest 
 than she had displayed before Hall. Inside, 
 the voices rose and fell in animated con- 
 versation: Mrs. Royalton's always sentimental 
 and reproachful, Carolyn's high and merry, 
 Rosamund's a surly contralto note. Flo- 
 215 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 die's face changed from hope to fear, from 
 hatred to mirth. She was so absorbed in 
 the scene that she did not notice when the 
 hall door opened, and Mr. Smallish entered, 
 bearing a newspaper. 
 
 He stared at her, then coughed. Flodie 
 whirled round and faced him. "Oh!" she 
 stammered. "How you frightened me, Al- 
 fred!" 
 
 "I beg your pardon. Miss Fisher. But say, 
 did you know what they got in the paper 
 about Mr. Bonistelle?" He displayed an 
 afternoon edition. 
 
 "About Mr. Bonistelle! No! What is it?" 
 
 "Why, it says here — where is it, now?" 
 He turned the paper over, sheet by sheet. 
 "Why, it says — wait till I find it — it was at 
 the bottom of the page, somewhere." 
 
 "For heaven's sake, hurry up!" Flodie 
 cried, distracted. 
 
 "Here it is — no! That ain't it. 'Girl pulls 
 
 burglar from under bed by foot' — it was 
 
 right along there. 'Eighty-one years old and 
 
 never kissed' — I remember that, too. Funny 
 
 216 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 how you can never find anything in a paper 
 when you want it." 
 
 Impatiently, Flodie snatched the sheet from 
 his hands. "Oh, dear! I'll find it myself — 
 what was it about, anyway?" 
 
 At this minute, the three ladies entered 
 the room, all talking at once. At sight of 
 Flodie and Alfred they grew silent. 
 
 "Why, it said how Mr. Bonistelle had in- 
 herited " 
 
 "Oh, never mind!" Flodie exclaimed ex- 
 citedly. "That's a lie, anyway." She tried 
 to carry the paper to her desk, glancing ter- 
 rified at the ladies. 
 
 "What is it?" Carolyn demanded. "Is 
 there something about Mr. Bonistelle in the 
 paper ?" 
 
 Alfred bowed. "Yes, miss, he's come into 
 a lot of money, it seems " 
 
 "Alfred!" cried Flodie, "you go down- 
 stairs and see if those ice-cream freezers have 
 come yet." 
 
 "Yes'm!" Then he turned again to Caro- 
 lyn. "It was on condition he " 
 
 217 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh," Flodie interposed, "it's nothing but 
 a silly story. There's nothing to it.", 
 
 Rosamund was, of the three, the least 
 troubled with delicacy. She seized Alfred 
 by the arm. "What was it? How much?" 
 she asked fiercely. 
 
 "Why, it was a lot — four millions, I 
 think!" he replied, and started for the door. 
 
 "Four millions!" Rosamund shrieked. 
 
 "Hurry, Alfred!" Flodie pushed him, with 
 all her might toward the door. 
 
 But Mrs. Royalton, too, had tasted blood. 
 She caught the janitor on the threshold. 
 "On condition of what?" she asked. 
 
 "Why, that he " 
 
 "Oh, Alfred!" Flodie moaned; with a ges- 
 ture she wildly motioned him away. 
 
 "For heaven's sake, let's see the paper. 
 Miss Fisher!" cried Carolyn, running up to 
 Flodie. 
 
 Flodie held the sheet behind her back. 
 "Oh, I think he's got it mixed up with some 
 one else. Miss Dallys!" 
 
 "Four millions!" Rosamund repeated. 
 218 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flodie in her excitement had dropped the 
 paper. Quick as a hawk, Carolyn picked it 
 up. She scanned it swiftly. "Here it is!" 
 she cried in triumph. 
 
 "Oh, read it!" said Rosamund, over her 
 shoulder. 
 
 "Yes, read it aloud!" echoed Mrs. Royal- 
 ton. 
 
 "Well, keep quiet and I will!" said Caro- 
 lyn calmly. 
 
 Flodie, wretched and despairing, her hopes 
 crushed, dropped her head on her hands and 
 awaited the revelation. 
 
 Carolyn began : " 'Eccentric Millionaire's 
 Queer Bequest. Nephew will get Four Mil- 
 lions if Married in Haste. A Good Chance 
 for Some Nice Girl.' Well, isn't that dis- 
 gusting !" 
 
 "Go on!" cried Rosamund and Mrs. Royal- 
 ton angrily. 
 
 " 'Hall Bonistelle, the well-known photo- 
 grapher at number 565 Fifth Avenue ' " 
 
 "Goodness! It is Hall, isn't it?" Mrs. 
 Royalton exclaimed. 
 
 219 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, for heaven's sake, shut up!" from 
 Rosamund. 
 
 " '565 Fifth Avenue, will have to do his 
 wooing in a hurry if he wishes to capture 
 the legacy left him by a rich and eccentric 
 uncle, the late John Beasley Bonistelle, of 
 Central Park West. As the residuary legatee, 
 the nephew is promised something over four 
 million dollars, on condition of his being mar- 
 ried on or before his twenty-eighth birthday. 
 As this occurs to-morrow, Mr. Bonistelle has 
 a scant forty-eight hours in which to make 
 good, and unless he has already picked his 
 bride, some whirlwind wooing may be ex- 
 pected by the handsome young photographer. 
 The millionaire's will, which has been miss- 
 ing for almost a year, was found this morn- 
 ing in his library, and was immediately offered 
 for probate. Mr. J. B. Bonistelle was a 
 well-known citizen, and came into prominence 
 through his views on race suicide, and his 
 authorship of a book on " 
 
 "Let me see it!" Rosamund whipped the 
 paper out of Carolyn's hand, and devoured 
 the notice with her own eyes. 
 220 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "What did it say, 'by his twenty-eightH 
 birthday'?" Mrs. Royalton asked in great 
 anxiety. 
 
 " 'On or before,' " said Carolyn, frowning. 
 She looked over Rosamund's shoulder. 
 
 "That means to-morrow at midnight, I 
 suppose." 
 
 Flodie looked up with a quick fling of her 
 head. Her eyes snapped. 
 
 "Four millions!" Rosamund put down the 
 paper. 
 
 For a moment the three women looked at 
 one another in silence. A wave of bitterest 
 enmity seemed to sweep around the circle. 
 Each face was set and hard, as each guarded 
 her secret thought. Then each stirred, rest- 
 less and nervous, in fear of betraying her- 
 self. 
 
 Carolyn spoke, almost in a whisper. "So 
 that's why Hall proposed to us all to-day!" 
 
 "Yes," said Mrs. Royalton. "He evident- 
 ly wanted to be sure of getting at least one 
 of us." Her lips curled in a sneer. 
 
 "No wonder he was in a hurry," said 
 Rosamund. "Four millions !" 
 221 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 There was another tense pause, while Flo- 
 die watched, fascinated, taking gasping 
 breaths. Then the three spoke almost simul- 
 taneously, one to another. 
 
 "You promised!" It was a threat, ques- 
 tion, entreaty, all in one. 
 
 Carolyn and Mrs. Royalton stared at Rosa- 
 mund. Rosamund faced the two defiantly. 
 In that crisis the three women were swept 
 millions of miles apart, then clashed fiercely 
 together. Little Flodie was forgotten; she 
 turned from one to the other in alarm. Then 
 came the forced confession, with a sigh from 
 each of the three. "Yes, we did promise! 
 Yes, we did! Yes!" 
 
 Carolyn again took command. "This is 
 a serious thing, girls. We must keep our 
 word, every one of us. Rosamund, you 
 can't go back on us, now!" 
 
 "Go back on you? Why do you pick me 
 out. How about you and Mrs. Royalton, I'd 
 like to know? Are you going to stand by 
 me?" 
 
 "Yes, you proposed it in the first place, 
 222 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you know, Carolyn!" Mrs. Royalton broke 
 in. "I think you had better speak for your- 
 self, before you accuse us!" 
 
 "Well," said Carolyn hesitatingly, "I don't 
 intend to back out of it. Do you, Miss Gale?" 
 
 "Of course not. How about you, Mrs. 
 Royalton?" 
 
 "Certainly not! But I think we ought to 
 promise all over again, though; so we'll 
 feel sure. If any one of us should >" 
 
 "You see that you don't yourself!" said 
 Rosamund fiercely. 
 
 "See here," said Carolyn, "Rena's all right. 
 We'll all promise all over again, and then 
 we'll know where we are. D'you promise. 
 Miss Gale?" 
 
 "Sure!" Rosamund nodded emphatically. 
 "Didn't I say so?" 
 
 "Rena?" 
 
 "Why, yes! Of course I do. Do you, 
 Carolyn?" 
 
 "I certainly do. There! Now I hope 
 we're safe." Carolyn suddenly turned sus- 
 piciously to Flodie, and forced a laugh. "Oh, 
 223 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Miss Fisher," she said suavely, "don't think 
 we're insane or anything, but this is a httle 
 joke we had planned for the party to-night. 
 A sort of surprise, you know " 
 
 "Oh, yes, I didn't quite understand what 
 you were saying. I was so busy," said Flo- 
 die. "About the costumes, isn't it?" 
 
 "Yes, about the costumes," Mrs. Royalton 
 interrupted sweetly, "you see we're all going 
 to wear " 
 
 "Oh, don't give it all away!" Rosamund 
 exclaimed. 
 
 "No, you'll see when to-night comes," said 
 Carolyn sweetly. 
 
 "I wonder where he is," said Rosamund, 
 after a second's pause. "Say, Miss Fisher!" 
 She went to the door of the stock-room. 
 "Where is Mr. Bonistelle, anyway?" 
 
 "Oh, I don't know. He just went out on 
 a few errands. I have no idea when he'll 
 be back. Very soon, perhaps." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton took a step toward the 
 door. "Well, Carolyn, I've got to go," she 
 said. "I've been here an awful while." 
 224 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund eyed her like a wildcat. "What 
 are you going to do?" she demanded. 
 
 "Oh, I've got a lot of things to attend to, 
 you know " 
 
 "Well, I've got to leave myself; mercy, it's 
 awfully late! I think I'll go with you!" said 
 Carolyn, moving off nervously. "You've 
 got your car here, haven't you?" Mrs. Royal- 
 ton nodded. "All right, then; come on!" 
 
 "Why, I thought you said we were going 
 over to Huyler's to talk it over — " Rosamund 
 looked at the two with accusing eyes. 
 
 The little touch of effusiveness with which 
 Mrs. Royalton took Carolyn's arm betrayed 
 the natural defensive league of brunettes 
 against the blonde. "Well, we're two to one, 
 anyway!" it seemed to say. 
 
 Carolyn accepted the alliance, remarking, 
 "Oh, I think it isn't necessary, now, after 
 all. We'll see you to-night. Miss Gale. Re- 
 member your promise !" She waved her hand 
 to Flodie. "We'll see you, too!" she called. 
 "Good afternoon, Miss Fisher!" 
 
 "Say, I think I'll go along, too, Carolyn;" 
 ?25 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund stepped forward audaciously, hold- 
 ing up her head. 
 
 "Oh, that will be nice!" Carolyn hesitated. 
 "But then, Ave're going up-town, you know 
 — aren't you, Rena?" 
 
 "Why, yes — that is — I'm afraid we're not 
 going your way. Miss Gale." Mrs. Royalton 
 started to leave. 
 
 But Rosamund was now conscious of her 
 equality with these society ladies, and pro- 
 posed to display it — in her own way. "That's 
 all right," she said, "I'd just as lief go up- 
 town. I have an errand on Ninetieth Street, 
 anyway." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton resigned herself to the in- 
 evitable. Truth to tell, she was no little 
 afraid of this picturesque blonde. "Oh, then, 
 very well — I'll be delighted to give you a lift 
 in my car, I'm sure!" 
 
 Carolyn gave her a glance, and smiled 
 acridly. "Oh, yes, do come. Miss Gale, we'll 
 be so glad to see more of you! That will be 
 charming." 
 
 "No," said Rosamund bluntly, "I think I'll 
 Yfalk, after all." The three went out witl| 
 226 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 over-polite "good afternoons" to Miss Fisher. 
 
 Flodie's account book slammed shut. Her 
 head fell on her arms, face down upon the 
 table. She gave way to a burning torrent 
 of tears. It was all up, then! Not one of 
 those three women but would fight for Hall 
 now, to the death. Oh, Flodie could read 
 their faces! Hadn't each one of them, even 
 while demanding the others' loyalty, been 
 sleekly planning to betray her own pledged 
 word to gain the coveted money? What 
 chance had poor neglected Flodie, who hadn't 
 even been asked? She dried her eyes and 
 looked up at the clock. It was three-fifteen. 
 As she watched the dial, her face changed 
 subtly. Dropping her eyes she began to think 
 in real earnest. Her time was short. If she 
 were to play Cinderella at the party to-night, 
 it behooved her to find a fairy godmother 
 as soon as possible. Wouldn't that have to 
 be Hall — who else? 
 
 She dabbed her eyes in water, then went 
 into the studio and was just about to call 
 him, when the hall door opened, and Rosa- 
 mund reappeared. 
 
 227 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Say, Miss Fisher, where's the nearest 
 telephone, d'you know?" 
 
 "Why— you can use this one, if you like." 
 
 "No, thanks. I don't want to phone just 
 yet." 
 
 "Well, there's one at the drug store, two 
 blocks above, I'm sure." 
 
 "All right. I just wanted to shake those 
 two women. I'm going to show them a 
 thing or two! Thanks." Rosamund dis- 
 appeared. 
 
 Flodie waited till she heard the elevator 
 door bang in the hall, and then went to the 
 door of the studio. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle!" she called. 
 
 He came in looking anxious. "Lord, I've 
 been worrying myself sick!" he confessed. 
 "What in the world were they up to, any- 
 way?" 
 
 "Oh, they seemed to be talking about some 
 club, or society, or something that they were 
 interested in." 
 
 "Club, eh?" 
 
 "Yes, a woman's club;" Flodie smiled tP 
 228 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 herself. "They wanted Rosamund Gale to 
 join, I think." 
 
 "That's queer. Rosamund seems to have 
 made a hit! A httle culture wouldn't do 
 her any harm, though. Well, I'm glad it 
 was no worse than that." He looked at his 
 watch. "Lord, I must be ofif. I've got to 
 hock this timepiece and pay an installment 
 on the ring, and do a lot of things." 
 
 Flodie started to speak, swallowed, tried 
 again. "Are you going to get a diamond, 
 Mr. Bonistelle, or a ruby?" 
 
 "Why, I've decided to take your advice, 
 Flo, and get a ruby. You've got mighty good 
 taste; I've found that out. Lord, I don't 
 know how I would ever have run this shop 
 if you hadn't!" 
 
 Flodie inspected her little slender fingers. 
 
 "How I've always longed for a ruby ring!" 
 she said softly. 
 
 "Oh, ■ I don't care much for rings on a 
 
 woman's hand, especially if it's pretty," said 
 
 Hall. "Now yours, Flodie, is perfect." She 
 
 tried to hide her hands, but he took them, 
 
 229 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 and held them up and looked critically. Flo- 
 die closed her eyes, that the tears might not 
 come out. 
 
 "Say, Flo — I s'pose I'll miss you like the 
 devil, after I'm married," he went on, drop- , 
 ping her hands. "I've got kind of used to 
 you, you know. It'll seem funny not to have 
 you round to talk to and laugh at. What's 
 the matter ? You don't really mind my laugh- 
 ing at you occasionally, do you, Flo?" 
 
 "Oh, no, I love it, Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Say, Flo, remember that first time you 
 ever came in here — lord, didn't it rain! 
 You looked like Undine coming out of the 
 fountain. Just a little forlorn and whim- 
 sical, but — well, just a jolly sort of good 
 comrade. D'you know I liked you the 
 moment I set eyes on you." 
 
 Flodie cast down her head. "So did I 
 you," she said. 
 
 "It always makes me smile, just to look" 
 at you, somehow. You're such a queer little 
 tyke. Always happy, aren't you, Flo?" 
 
 She looked up bravely. "Oh, yes!" 
 230 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "That's right; I hate a woman who al- 
 ways has a grouch. Say, I'd have given you 
 a job, Flo, if I hadn't been able to find my 
 rent! It pays to have a funny little face 
 like yours round. Yes, Flodie, — I'm afraid 
 I'm going to miss you!" 
 
 The telephone bell rang. Hall snatched 
 up the receiver savagely. "Hello! . . . Who 
 is this? . . . Oh, yes! Of course . . . Oh! 
 You will? By jove, that's great! . . . Why, 
 yes, I'm delighted . . . But I am, Rosamund, 
 why — why, I'm the happiest man in the 
 world! You've no idea what a relief it is 
 . . . Sure! That's just what I was gding 
 to suggest. Yes, we'll do it to-night. Fine! 
 All right, we'll talk it over when you come. 
 Good-by — dear !" 
 
 He hung up the instrument slowly. "Rosa- 
 mund's accepted me. Flodie, I'll be a mil- 
 lionaire by to-night. What d'you think, she's 
 promised to marry me immediately; we'll 
 have it over this evening." 
 
 He arose thoughtfully. "Well, I guess 
 that's settled, then. Rosamund's It!" 
 231 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Bonistelle — do you think Rosa- 
 mund loves you?" Flodie moaned. 
 
 "Oh, yes, I expect so. Why shouldn't 
 she?" 
 
 "And are you happy?" 
 
 "Of course! Lord, I should say so! Four 
 millions, Flodie! I can't quite realize it yet, 
 that's all. Confound it, I've worried so over 
 this whole thing." He started to walk up 
 and down nervously. "Yes, I'ni happy, all 
 right! Sure I am. Glad it's decided and 
 off my mind. Now, let's see — what was I 
 saying?" Flodie, unable to control herself, 
 had risen and was making for the stock- 
 room, when he called her back, "Say, Flo, 
 wait a minute." He went up to her kindly. 
 "Perhaps after I'm married we can arrange 
 it somehow " 
 
 "Oh, no, Mr. Bonistelle;" Flodie shook her 
 head decidedly. 
 
 "Well, what are you going to do, then?" 
 
 "Oh, I shall go over to Deerfield. You 
 know he's wanted me to come for months." 
 
 He turned to her suddenly. "Damn it, 
 232 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Flo, I don't want you to go to Deerfield! 
 He's a beast! I can't bear to think of his 
 ordering you round." 
 
 "Oh, that doesn't matter, now. The only 
 thing I'm afraid of, Mr. Bonistelle — ^well, 
 never mind." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "Oh, nothing!" Flodie abstractedly opened 
 her account book. 
 
 "See here," he said, taking the book away 
 from her, "what were you going to say, 
 Flo?" 
 
 "Oh, well, nothing; only, — I'm so afraid 
 that when you get your money you won't 
 ever do anything any more." 
 
 "Oh, yes, I'll go right on." 
 
 "But so much depends upon whom you 
 marry, Mr. Bonistelle, doesn't it? Why, 
 none of these women understands what you're 
 really trying to do. They don't realize that 
 you are an artist, — you know you must cre- 
 ate, else you're unhappy. And they'll never 
 let you do it, or sympathize, or anything — 
 I know that. Why, there are the color 
 233 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 prints you are working on, and the night 
 photographs, and those new portrait prob- 
 lems, — and such a lot o£ things, — ^your ex- 
 periments and everything. You're so lazy 
 you need to be poked all the time. You have 
 genius, Mr. Bonistelle, really you have, if 
 only the right woman is there to encourage 
 you and stimulate you. Do you think Mrs. 
 Royalton, or Carolyn Dallys, or Rosamund 
 will care a snap for your art, or for your 
 talent, or anything but your money?" 
 
 "Well, perhaps not; but I've asked them 
 now, and I've got to put it through, haven't 
 I? I'll take a brace when I get the money, 
 all right!" 
 
 "When you get the money, Hall Bonistelle, 
 you'll loaf, — I know you! — unless there's 
 somebody to make you work!" 
 
 He went over to her and patted her on 
 the back affectionately. "Say, Flo, I believe 
 you do like me, after all. Don't you worry, 
 little girl, I'll pull through all right. You 
 see, when Rosamund is my wife — " Again 
 the telephone bell rang. 
 234 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Hello!" he shouted, and then again; more 
 gently, "Oh, hello! . . . Oh, yes, the phone 
 was busy; some one just rang me up . . . 
 too bad. Oh, nothing important . . . What 
 is it? . . . Yes? . . . What, not really "i . . . 
 Why, I'm tickled to death, Carolyn, of 
 course, but — well, why — why, don't you see, 
 it's so sudden, you know, and — well, I hadn't 
 expected to hear from you so soon. You 
 see I had no idea — what is it? . . . Oh, 
 don't say that, please! . . . I'm perfectly de- 
 lighted — it takes my breath away, that's all 
 . . . why, yes. No, only I was just going 
 out. Really I have got to hurry . . . Well, 
 all right, then. Yes, good-by . . . No, good- 
 by!" 
 
 He hung up the receiver and whirled to 
 Flodie. "Did you get that, Flo? Carolyn 
 Dallys! She's accepted me, too. What the 
 devil am I going to do?" 
 
 Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrng ! Another call. Hall 
 picked up the telephone grimly. "Rena, I'll 
 bet a thousand dollars!" he whispered. "Hel- 
 lo! Yes, yes, yes, who is it, for heaven's 
 235 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 sake? Oh! Oh, hello, Rena! What's that? 
 Confound this phone! Speak louder, can't 
 you?" 
 
 He covered the mouthpiece and scowled 
 at Flodie as he listened. "Rena's saying 
 'yes'!" he announced. Then, into the tele- 
 phone he cried angrily, "I can't get a word 
 you say! Poor little who? No, it's no use. 
 Oh, yes, I get that — ^yes! Fine! No, I'm 
 horribly busy, anyway. Call up later. All 
 right, then, I understand. To-night!" 
 
 Bang went the receiver on the hook. 
 "Well, I've settled her for a while, anyway!" 
 Then he rose. "Say, for heaven's sake, 
 what's happened to all those three women all 
 of a sudden? Why couldn't they say yes 
 this morning, when I asked them? Lord, 
 it takes a woman to make trouble, every 
 time. I guess I'm in for it now, any- 
 way, and there's millions in it, Flodie!" He 
 looked at, his watch again. "Gee! — half past 
 three already. Only — let's see — nine — no, 
 eight hours and a half. Lord, I've got to 
 chase!" He put on his hat. 
 236 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Mr. Bonistelle!" Flodie's voice was 
 tremulous. 
 
 "Yes, Flodie,— what is it?" 
 
 Flodie rose and put her hand down the 
 neck of her blouse. "I think I ought to 
 give this back to you — now!" She drew 
 forth a little gold locket, unclasped the chain 
 and handed it to him. 
 
 He looked at her in surprise. "Why? 
 What nonsense! Why shouldn't you keep 
 it?" 
 
 "I don't think I ought to have it, some- 
 how. You're going to get married, and — 
 you take it, Mr. Bonistelle! I'd feel better 
 if you did." 
 
 "Lord, I should think you were going to 
 commit suicide or something rash, Flo. 
 Don't be so silly! Imagine your being senti- 
 mental!" He refused to accept the token. 
 
 "But your wife might object, Mr. Bon- 
 istelle!" 
 
 "For heaven's sake, let her object, then!" 
 he exclaimed. "Don't be a fool! Why, I 
 gave you that as a friend, that's all, didn't 
 237 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I? No one could possibly misinterpret that. 
 You know there's never been any nonsense 
 between us, Flo; we're just pals, aren't we?" 
 
 Flodie turned away and sat down hopeless- 
 ly. "Yes; just good pals. No nonsense 
 whatever." She smiled wanly. 
 
 "Funny thing, too, when you come to 
 think of it, isn't it?" 
 
 "Why?" She looked up, startled. 
 
 "Oh, I don't know — here all day alone, 
 working together, and all that sort of thing 
 — it's a wonder we never fell in love or any- 
 thing isn't it? Propinquity, you know — sup- 
 posed to be dangerous." 
 
 Flodie looked up, frightened, and clutched 
 her heart. Hall was gazing out the window 
 listlessly. She saw his face in profile; and, 
 as she watched it, it changed. From a light 
 carelessness the look on his countenance grew 
 more and more intense till he fairly frowned. 
 Suddenly he turned to her with an exclama- 
 tion that made her jump. 
 
 "Flodie!" He beamed on her, now, 
 strangely illuminated from his inner thought. 
 238 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "What, Mr., Bonistelle?" Flodie Knew 
 well enough what was coming. 
 
 "By jove, I've got it!" He pounded his 
 fist. "It's the solution of the whole problem. 
 Hooray!" He walked over to her, and 
 shook his finger. "Flodie, d'you know who 
 I'm going to marry? You!" 
 
 She jumped up as if he had struck her, 
 and retreated a few steps, almost in fear. 
 Manlike, he had unconsciously done the 
 wrong thing at just the right time. He had 
 struck her secret sorrow, and the pain was, 
 for the moment, unbearable. Flodie cower- 
 ed, shrinking away from him, staring, un- 
 able to speak a word. 
 
 He followed her up with all his egoism. 
 "Why, see here, Flo!" he exclaimed. "It's 
 all as simple as daylight. Why in the world 
 didn't I think of it before? Here we are 
 bully good pals, — get along fine, don't we? 
 — never had a single quarrel. You're right; 
 you're the only one that does care enough for 
 me to make me work and keep me up to my 
 best. I believe you could actually make some- 
 239 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 thing of me. Flodie, I'm going to make you 
 a lady of leisure! Talk about rubies, I'll give 
 you a few ! Jove ! Won't we have a great time 
 with all that money, though? Hooray! we'll 
 make it fly ! We'll take the next boat abroad, 
 by Jupiter! Say, Flodie, I'm going to kiss 
 you! For the first time, too!" 
 
 He went up to her, but she darted away 
 like a cat. "Oh, no! Mr. Bonistelle! Don't!" 
 she protested. 
 
 He stopped in amazement. "Why not? 
 What's the matter?" 
 
 "Oh, you've proposed to three women to- 
 day!" she lamented pitifully. 
 
 "Oh, that's all right," he said complacent- 
 ly. "I can fix that, somehow. Why, if I did 
 take one of 'em, I'd have to throw the other 
 two down, anyhow. Well, I might as well 
 be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and jilt all 
 three of 'em. Why, I've got to; I can't 
 afford to 'lose four miUion dollars, can I?" 
 
 "Oh, you proposed to three women!" she 
 repeated monotonously. She sat down and 
 looked at him with a haggard face. 
 240 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Well, what if I did? They didn't accept 
 me, did they? Haven't I a right to ask some- 
 body else, under the circumstances — with so 
 much at stake? Why, they may all refuse 
 me, even now; I'm not at all certain! I can't 
 risk a fortune on their whims, blowing hot 
 and blowing cold! D'you think I intend to 
 stand for this 'I-will-and-I-won't' business? 
 Not much! I'm glad they did put me off, 
 now. It's the luckiest thing in the world! 
 It gives me a good excuse to take you. Why, 
 I was so rattled, Flodie, it never occurred to 
 me that I could marry you." 
 
 Flodie rose; her hazel eyes snapped. "Oh, 
 didn't it? Well, then, Mr. Bonistelle, evi- 
 dently there are several other things that 
 didn't occur to you! Do you think you can 
 treat me this way and expect me to stand 
 for it?" 
 
 "What way? Lord, haven't I asked you to 
 marry me, Flo?" He stared at her in sur- 
 prise. 
 
 "No, you haven't asked me! No, you've 
 insulted me! All you've done is to announce 
 241 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 coolly that you have decided to marry me!" 
 Flodie, aroused, fairly stormed, now. 
 
 "Oh, pshaw — I thought you understood, 
 Flo. Of course I'll ask you, if you want the 
 conventional, orthodox proposal." He smiled 
 patronizingly at her whim, as at a pouting 
 child, then dropped gracefully upon one knee. 
 "Will you marry me, Flodie?" 
 
 There was a new note in Flodie's voice. 
 "No !" she cried harshly. "Get up, Mr. Bon- 
 istelle! I'm afraid you've made a mistake. 
 You've forgotten who I am, haven't you? 
 Why, I'm only the girl with the 'funny face' ! 
 I'm just a 'queer little tyke', who 'is always 
 happy'! Ha! Ha! Ha! Why don't you 
 laugh? I thought I always made you smile? 
 Just a 'jolly good pal' — that's all I am! 
 Didn't you say so yourself?" 
 
 "But, Flodie!" Hall approached her placat- 
 ingly, amazed at her outburst. 
 
 She pushed him away, "Oh, no, you can't 
 
 imagine a 'queer little tyke' like me having 
 
 any sentiment! Of course, all you have to 
 
 do is to rattle the pan, and call, 'Chick ! chick ! 
 
 242 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 chick!' and little Flodie will come running up 
 to pick at the corn-meal ! No, sir ! Not much ! 
 I'm not so anxious to be a lady of leisure as 
 all that, Mr. Bonistelle! What! Marry you, 
 with all the love left out? No, sir! I 
 should say not!" 
 
 "But, Flodie!" Hall could scarcely believe 
 his ears. "Confound it, what's got into you? 
 Why, hang it all, I had no idea you felt like 
 that!" He stared at her. 
 
 Flodie had got her breath. Now she was 
 cool and scornful, she looked him straight in 
 the eye, aiming every phrase. "Of course you 
 had no idea. How should you? Haven't I 
 slaved for you, and jollied your customers, 
 and lied for yovt and got you up in the morn- 
 ing, and waited on you, and trained you, 
 and saved your reputation and your business 
 a dozen times a day for over a year? 
 Why, I've even darned your socks, and sewed 
 your buttons on, and mended your gloves and 
 boiled your eggs for you ! No wonder there's 
 never been any nonsense, as you call it! 
 Of course, if I had flattered you, and flirted 
 243 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 with you, and taken all sorts of liberties like 
 the others, then you might possibly have seen 
 me! Then it might have been, 'By jove, Flo- 
 die Fisher's got more brains than all the rest 
 of 'em put together!' If I had googled my 
 eyes round the shop like that Gale girl, then 
 you would have been saying, 'Say, that Flo- 
 die Fisher is considerable peach, all right!' 
 Yes, sir, little Flodie would have been actual- 
 ly beautiful. 'Beauty, that's what really 
 counts !' " 
 
 She made a queer whimsical face — at her- 
 self or Hall, who knows? — and went on as 
 if to herself. 
 
 "Poor old daddy! Selling fish in New 
 London! . . . and if I had only had sense 
 enough to enjoy a little nonsense — he might 
 have had a — a grandson — named Obadiah 
 Bonistelle!" Sadly, she shook her head. 
 "Blood will tell! No, I'm only little 
 Flodie, the Egg Boiler! And you're so used 
 to me, that when you do want to get married, 
 you propose to one, two, three women before 
 you give me a thought. I only come in as 
 a last resort — Flodie, the Forlorn Hope! Mr. 
 244 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Bonistelle, do you think I'm the sort of girl 
 to marry like that?" 
 
 Flodie, transformed by this long pent-up 
 rage, was a new and splendid creature; her 
 eyes shot sparks, the color flamed upon her 
 cheeks. 
 
 Hall, dumfounded, stared at her, speech- 
 less. If a baby had suddenly attacked him 
 he could not have been more amazed. He 
 didn't know her in this aspect; she took his 
 breath away like a strong wind. His impulse 
 was to defend himself, resist, but he was 
 overcome by her emotion. He struck out any 
 way — ^blindly, like a swimmer in rapids; he 
 tried to placate her. "But, Flodie — dear! I 
 -kaiow — but I want you!" 
 
 "Oh, yes, I know you want me — and why? 
 So that you can win four millions of dollars. 
 That's all you want. You'll have to get mar- 
 ried, so you'd better take m^.' I make you 
 laugh! Oh, it's as simple as daylight, is it? 
 Well, I'm not so simple as I look. When I 
 marry a man. Hall Bonistelle, it'll be because 
 he loves me, remember that; and not just to 
 help him catch a fortune!" 
 245 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall watched her, fascinated, as she strode 
 up and down, her eyes flashing, her body- 
 lithe and eager, accenting her anger with 
 free unconscious gestures. "By jove!" he 
 exclaimed, "I wouldn't know you! Why, I 
 never saw you like this before! What's hap- 
 pened to you ? I didn't know it was in you I" 
 
 She turned scornfully. "Oh, I've got a lot 
 in me that you'll never know. Hall Bonistelle. 
 I've got a little pride, for one thing." 
 
 He seized her hand; in spite of herself, she 
 let it rest in his, while he asked, soothingly: 
 "And haven't you a little love, too, Flodie?" 
 
 She snatched her hand away. "Love! 
 What do you know about love!" she ex- 
 claimed scornfully, and walked away from 
 him. "Why, your janitor knows more about 
 real love than you do — a thousand times!" 
 
 Still he stood and looked at her as at a 
 marvel. "Flodie Fisher," he declared, "you 
 may believe it or not, but I am in love- 
 with you, I swear I am! Why, you're mag- 
 nificent! By jove, I never saw such spirit! 
 Why in the world haven't you ever shown me 
 what you were, before?" 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Too busy." 
 
 "Why, I'd have proposed to you six months 
 ago!" 
 
 "Well, you're too late, now!" She was 
 trembling. Suddenly her strength left her. 
 She burst into tears. 
 
 He went up to her appealingly. "See here, 
 Flo, I do want you, don't you understand that, 
 little girl? And I'm going to have you, too, 
 no matter what happens! Damn that money, 
 anyway! I wish it never had been left me! 
 See here, Flo, let's begin all over again! come 
 on out right now and marry me, will you, 
 will you?" 
 
 "No!" she sobbed. 
 
 Now there are two "no's" a woman can 
 say. One comes through clenched teeth; it 
 has a rising inflection; — the other is an out- 
 and-out bark and has the downward fling. 
 Few men know what different things they 
 mean. Hall stood silent for a moment, watch- 
 ing her. Then his tone changed. "Well, I don't 
 know that I blame you," he said finally. "I've 
 been all kinds of a cad to-day, but I guess 
 this is the limit. Of course I've been blind. 
 247, 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 You're right. I've been so close to you I 
 haven't really seen ,you. And now that I 
 do, it's too late. Say, Flodie, did you mean 
 that? Is it really too late? Won't you let 
 me prove that I am in earnest, at last?" 
 
 "Oh, how can I believe you! I confess 
 I did want you to ask me, Mr. Bonistelle. 
 I longed for it and I schemed for it; but now 
 I'm ashamed of myself — I feel mortified and 
 humiliated. It isn't a mere proposal I want 
 — can't you understand? I want a man's 
 honest love — that's the only thing that will 
 ever satisfy me. But you're not honest! 
 You've been lying all day! You've lied to 
 Mrs. Royalton, and you've lied to Miss Dal- 
 lys and Rosamund. And now you're lying to 
 me! No!" she said, "I'll never believe you." 
 Then she dropped her head on her hands over 
 the table. "Go away!" she sobbed. 
 
 Hall hesitated a moment, and then ap- 
 proached her timidly. "Flodie, oh, Flodie, I'm 
 not lying this time, really! You know I'm 
 not! I've waked up at last, Flo. I know 
 what I want. It's you, dear! Won't you 
 trust me?" 
 
 248 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 She made a repelling gesture. "Go away !" 
 she sobbed. 
 
 Hall walked toward the door, wretched 
 and ashamed. 
 
 "Isn't there any chance for me?" he plead- 
 ed. "Don't you love me enough to forgive 
 me, dear? Don't say no — Flodie!" 
 
 She looked up with tears in her eyes. She 
 had a strange exalted look on her face as 
 she spoke through clenched teeth. "Hall 
 Bonistelle," she said, "I will not marry you! 
 There!" She turned away. 
 
 Hall suddenly caught fire. He shook his 
 fist at her. "Flodie Fisher, you shall marry 
 me!" The door slammed. 
 
 As soon as he had gone, Flodie jumped up, 
 and stood for a moment thinking. She 
 glanced at the clock, scowled, then walked 
 stealthily to the door and listened. Opening 
 it, she looked out into the hall. 
 
 "Oh, Alfred!" she called, and then she 
 waited. 
 
 In a moment the janitor appeared, pale 
 and sad as a specter. "Yes, Miss Fisher?" 
 
 She regarded him eagerly. "Alfred," she 
 249 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 said, "you said you'd do anything for me, 
 didn't you?" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Fisher, that's what I did!" 
 
 "You will do anything, no matter what I 
 ask?" 
 
 "Oh, yes. Miss Fisher! indeed I will." 
 
 "Then go and get you hat and coat — 
 hurry!" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Fisher." 
 
 He left hastily, and Flodie went to her 
 closet and drew forth her own hat and coat 
 and put them on, still absorbed in thought. 
 She was drawing on her last glove when Al- 
 fred reappeared. 
 
 "What is it you want me to do. Miss 
 Fisher?" 
 
 "Alfred," she replied, smiling elfishly on 
 him, "I want you to go down to the City Hall 
 with me. We're going to get a marriage 
 license !" 
 
 And before he could reply, she had hurried 
 with him out of the door. 
 
PART THREE 
 
 "T? LODIE'S mind having been, in the after- 
 -■■■ noon, thus somewhat diverted from prep-; 
 arations for the party, the decoration of the 
 studio had devolved on the untutored taste of 
 Alfred Smallish. Alfred's esthetic ideas, 
 being primitive, ran to the severely geometric. 
 Ropes of evergreen he stiffly festooned in 
 regular curves along the cornice, and at each 
 equidistant cusp a circular wreath was hung 
 to a tenpenny nail. He was emboldened 
 by the success of this satisfying uniformity 
 to essay similar effects with the two large 
 cameras, draping them carefully in loops of 
 mathematical precision. In the end, his work 
 left him profoundly pleased and proud. Poor 
 Alfred! Flodie, arriving early, spent nearly 
 an hour reconstructing his decorative scheme, 
 patting and pulling it into something more 
 careless, and more agreeable to her own sense 
 251 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 of beauty. Alfred Smallish willingly acknowl- 
 edged her superior taste; he was amazed to 
 find that the yardstick was not the true 
 measure of art 
 
 For the occasion Mr. Smallish had also 
 decorated himself. In his hired evening suit 
 he looked, if possible, a bit more pathetic than 
 usual. Flodie first howled at the sight, then 
 mollified his confusion by assuring him that 
 he looked like a real waiter. This, indeed, was 
 to be Alfred's function to-night, for which, 
 toward nine o'clock, he had a swift dress re- 
 hearsal, ending in Flodie's enthusiastic, 
 "Fine!" 
 
 "But you be careful," she admonished him, 
 "and don't you spill any salad or ice-cream 
 or anything on that dress suit, Alfred! I 
 want you to be spick-and-span when the sur- 
 prise of the evening takes place!" She gave 
 him her hand; Alfred pressed it, trembling, 
 and returned sadly to his arrangement of 
 plates, forks and napkins. 
 
 Flodie had arrayed herself for the evening 
 with simplicity and artful grace. She wore 
 252 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 white mulle, which, happily escaping the 
 schoolgirl touch, daringly showed her neck 
 to admirable advantage. Flodie's hair dis- 
 closed, perhaps, more of her attentive care. 
 She had caught that charm of careless luxuri- 
 ance for which clever women strive. She had 
 neither Rosamund's naturally curling tresses, 
 nor Mrs. Royalton's French maid to assist her 
 efforts, but a few pet curls were disposed to 
 good effect. Hall Bonistelle's first glance told 
 her that she had succeeded. In that glance 
 were surprise, admiration and desire. By the 
 look in his eyes she knew that, if she did not 
 take care, he would try to demonstrate his 
 emotion. Flodie, however, was not yet ready 
 to be kissed. She evaded his ardor without 
 showing suspicion, and answered his exclama- 
 tory compliments with a shrug. Between the 
 two, after this encounter, there was scant 
 talk — nothing but the necessary conversations 
 concerning the arrangements for the evening. 
 Once or twice Hall caught her watching him 
 with a bright squirrel glance, and he was 
 emboldened to speak; but then her tilted chin 
 253 
 
LOVE IN A" HURRY 
 
 and her compressed lips discouraged his ad- 
 vances. His mind, too, was evidently set on 
 some resolve. Flodie scented it, and waited. 
 It came out, at last, just before the first ar- 
 rivals appeared, when he approached her as 
 she was deftly rearranging the plates of 
 sandwiches and bottles of beer on the stock- 
 room shelves. 
 
 "You wait!" he announced, shaking his 
 finger at her, "just as soon as I have it out 
 with those three women I'm coming after 
 you! Remember that! I've got to get rid 
 of them some way. Lord knows how, but I'll 
 do it! And then, Flodie Fisher, it'll be your 
 turn! Mark my words! I intend to marry 
 you up before midnight!" 
 
 "You won't!" she exclaimed and slammed 
 the door in his face. When she came out, a 
 few minutes later, she found him in the 
 studio, frowning. 
 
 "Confound it!" he said, "I'm all up a tree 
 without my watch! I've got to keep track of 
 the time to-night, though; it's important. I 
 want to know how long I've got." 
 254 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "There's the clock," said Flodie, "can't you 
 look at that occasionally?" 
 
 "I wonder how near right it is?" he asked. 
 "It's been losing time lately, hasn't it?" 
 
 "Shall I ring up Central and ask?" 
 
 "Will you, please? Thanks!" Hall walked 
 to the tall grandfather's clock in the corner 
 and opened the door, while Flodie went into 
 the office. 
 
 After a moment, she called out, "Ten 
 twenty-two, Mr. Bonistelle!" 
 
 "Lord, it is awfully slow, isn't it! All 
 right!" Hall put the minute hand a half-hour 
 ahead, and shut the door. Then he went up 
 to Flodie impulsively. "Flo, for God's sake, 
 say yes. That will settle everything. Won't 
 you, Flodie, dear?" 
 
 She answered with sarcasm : " 'Partner 
 wanted for a well-established business.1 Must 
 have four millions capital. Answer immediate- 
 ly.' No, I won't! There!" 
 
 "I'm crazy about you, Flo, really I am!" 
 
 "And also three other women — ^beau-ti-ful — 
 ed-uca-ted — art-is-tic." 
 
 255 
 
LOVE fN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, Flo, it's too late for joking." 
 "And not quite late enough to be serious. 
 You have you work cut out for to-night, 
 Mr. Bonistelle!" She poised, with her hand 
 delicately outstretched, and began to sing: 
 
 "It| is well to be witty and wise," 
 
 "You know I never cared a snap for those 
 women !" 
 
 "It is well to be honest and true!" 
 "What do I care if they did accept me?" 
 
 "It is well to be off with the old, old 
 love " 
 
 Hall tried to seize her; she escaped and 
 finished the stanza: 
 
 "Before you are on with the new!" 
 
 Hall, thus discomfited, tried a new line. 
 "You haven't asked to see the ring yet!" he 
 said, smiling. 
 
 "No, and I don't want to!" Flodie was 
 cool, very. 
 
 256 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 He took a box from his pocket, opened the 
 lid, and set it down temptingly in front of 
 her. Flodie could not resist one look at the 
 ruby, then returned it to him without a word. 
 
 "See if it fits, Flo!" he said coaxingly. 
 
 "Fits who?" She stared at him without 
 an expression. 
 
 "Fits the girl I'm going to marry." 
 
 "I can't tell," she said; "Rosamund's hands 
 are rather — well, they're not exactly small, 
 are they?" 
 
 "Damn Rosamund!" he exclaimed. "You'll 
 be wearing this ring before midnight. Miss 
 Fisher !" He put it back into its case, adding, 
 "I'm going to use an old ring of my mother's 
 for the wedding. It'll come pretty soon after 
 the other, though. It won't be a long en- 
 gagement." 
 
 At the rattle of the elevator door in the 
 hall outside, Alfred Smallish sprang to the 
 door of the office and opened it ceremonious- 
 
 ly- 
 
 "Lord, there's the specter at the feast!" 
 said Hall under his breath. 
 257 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 It was Jonas Hassingbury, dressed in a 
 long black frock coat, not unlike an under- 
 taker, with his black gloves and string tie. 
 His long face kept up the illusion; it was 
 dark and solemn, befitting a serious occasion. 
 He bowed low to Flodie and held out a thin 
 hand to his host. 
 
 Hall's reception of him was polite without 
 being over-cordial. The two cousins did not 
 often meet; they had little in common, and 
 they disliked each other thoroughly. 
 
 "Well, Jonas, been having a good time in 
 New York?" 
 
 "Oh, well, so-so." His eyes twinkled. "Not 
 so good as I expect to have a little later, 
 though." He winked elaborately at Flodie. 
 
 "Oh, I see. Meaning that money, I pre- 
 sume." 
 
 "That's right! Can't blame me for takin' 
 an interest in it, can ye? Four millions don't 
 walk into my pocket every night, my boy!" 
 He slapped Hall cordially on the shoulder. 
 
 Hall was angry. "You seem to be pretty 
 sure of it!" 
 
 258 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Wall, it'll soon be settled, anyway. It's 
 gettin' closter and closter. Hall." 
 
 "Yes, you don't need to tell me that!" His 
 eyes sought Flodie's, appealingly. But Flodie 
 was tucking a bit of lace into her bosom. Hall 
 turned to Jonas belligerently. "Well, by jove, 
 you haven't won it yet! Confound it, can't 
 you wait till midnight before you begin to 
 crow over me?" 
 
 Jonas placidly shook his head in sorrow at 
 this exhibition of temper. "Now, Hall, ye 
 want to take this in a Christian sperrit, my 
 boy. I can see it'll be all for the best. Re- 
 member that gold is but dross " 
 
 "Good lord, don't you preach to me, you 
 confounded old hypocrite!" 
 
 "I'm only sayin' it'll be for your good. 
 Hall." 
 
 "You damned old psalm-singing skinflint!" 
 Hall turned away in high disdain. 
 
 "Now, hold on. Hall. That ain't no way 
 to talk. I'm older'n you be, and " 
 
 "Don't you try to patronize me! Lord, 
 I've got trouble enough without that!" 
 259 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "You needn't worry, I'll make good use o' 
 that money!" 
 
 Hall whirled on him. "Shut up, will you? 
 By jove, if you weren't in my own house, I'd 
 kick you down-stairs!" And with that, he 
 flung impetuously out of the room. 
 
 Jonas' sour glance followed him. "Peevish, 
 ain't he?" he remarked easily to Flodie. 
 
 "Poor Mr. Bonistelle! He's awfully nerv- 
 ous." 
 
 "Wall, I suppose he is kind o' disappinted. 
 He'll get over it." The old man approached 
 Flodie with a crafty look in his eyes. "How 
 be ye gettin' along?" he asked anxiously, 
 in an undertone. "Anything happened?" 
 
 "Well, I should say!" said Flodie. "You 
 ought to have seen the show. But we're 
 not out of the woods, yet. Still, I think 
 that if I have time and luck, I can put it 
 through." 
 
 "Ye can? By whillikens, that's fine! Good 
 
 for you! Wall, we ought to know pretty 
 
 soon now." He looked up at the clock. 
 
 "Only, let's see — an hour and thirty — " He 
 
 260 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 stopped, staring at the clock, then, with a 
 puzzled face, drew his own big watch from 
 his pocket, and compared it with the clock. 
 "Say!" He turned eagerly to Flodie. 
 
 "Hush!" cried Flodie, and laid her finger 
 on her lip. 
 
 Jonas' expression grew more crafty. Then 
 he grinned. "Oh, I see! Got a little scheme 
 fixed up, eh?" He walked to the couch and 
 sat down, beckoning her. "Say, jest set 
 down, won't ye, and let me know how things 
 stand." 
 
 Flodie demurely took a seat beside him. 
 
 "Then they ain't no danger of any o' them 
 three women gittin' him, is they?" 
 
 "Why," said Flodie, "not if we can man- 
 age to keep them away from him. You see, 
 so long as no one of them succeeds in getting 
 him alone, we're all right." 
 
 Jonas laughed. "That's the idee, is it? 
 Wall, it takes a woman, every time, don't 
 it!" 
 
 "Wait a minute, though. It isn't so easy 
 as it looks. Those women are getting desper- 
 261 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ate, now, and you've got to help me fool 
 them." 
 
 "Me? How? What can I do?" 
 
 "Why, if one of them gets him, you've 
 got to just jump in, and break it up in a 
 hurry. Don't let her get a word in edge- 
 wise, if you can help it. Fall on the floor, 
 smash a window — anything! It doesn't mat- 
 ter what they think." 
 
 "By jiminy, I'll do it, you bet!" cried 
 Jonas. "One thing I do know : how to handle 
 women !" 
 
 "There's millions in it, Mr. Hassingbury !" 
 
 "And I'm the feller what's goin' to get 
 'em!" He seized Flodie's hand before she 
 could protest, and shook it energetically. 
 "Say, miss, you're a little wonder! Think 
 of your doin' all that just on my account — 
 you're a friend worth havin', d'you know it?" 
 
 "It was nice of me, wasn't it?" Flodie 
 replied modestly, turning away to bite her 
 lip. 
 
 "Well, miss, you won't lose nothin' by 
 it, I promise you that! No, sir!" For a 
 262 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 moment he stared at her critically, as at a 
 dubious work of art, then he appeared to 
 make up his mind, and his tone became con- 
 fidential. "See here, miss, I want to have 
 a little talk with you. Set down a minute, 
 can't ye?" 
 
 Flodie, big-eyed, took a seat and demurely 
 clasped her hands in her lap. "Well, what 
 is it?" 
 
 Jonas hitched his chair closer. "Why, I 
 been a-thinkin' of it over to-day, and I got 
 a proposition I've decided to make to ye. If 
 I git this here money, and it looks now like 
 I should, what d'ye say to we two hitchin' 
 up together?" 
 
 Flodie jumped up suddenly. "Now, hold 
 on, miss!" Jonas exclaimed, and stretched 
 forth his long arm in expostulation. "You 
 hear me out fust. I've kind o' took a notion 
 to ye, and I'm willin' to try it, if you be. I 
 don't see where I could do better, and you'd 
 git a good man if you got me, miss, if I do 
 say it!" 
 
 "Thank you kindly," said Flodie, "but I 
 263 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 don't really know what in the world I'd do 
 with you if I got you." 
 
 "Do with me? Why — ^why, you'd marry 
 me, o' course! Didn't you get what I said?" 
 
 "Oh, then this is a proposal, is it?" Flodie 
 asked wickedly, looking him over, smiling. 
 "I see! Well, then, Mr. Hassingbury, I'm 
 afraid I shall be obliged to say 'No-I-thank 
 you !' " She shook her head decidedly. 
 
 "But wait a minute! You don't seem to 
 realize — see here, don't you know — why, ain't 
 you aware I'm one o' the fust citizens in 
 Branford? I'm a deacon o' the Baptist 
 church!" 
 
 "Oh, are you? Well, I don't think," Flo- 
 die considered a moment, "I have any par- 
 ticular use for deacons. I've got along very 
 well without one, so far, Mr. Hassingbury." 
 
 Jonas stared at her as if she were raving. 
 "You don't know what you're talkin' about! 
 Don't you realize if you marry me you'll get 
 four million dollars? Lord, any other gal 
 would just jump at the chance to have the 
 spendin' o' that money." 
 264 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Let 'em jump!" said Flodie. "That's my 
 advice, Mr. Hassingbury; you take a good 
 jumper. And I want to give you a tip — " 
 She went up to him and took him confi- 
 dentially by the lapel of his coat. "There 
 will be three women here to-night, and all 
 of 'em can jump like grasshoppers. Once 
 they find out you have money, and they'll 
 jump at the chance, you see! They'll jump 
 all over you!" 
 
 Before the astonished Jonas could reply, 
 Alfred opened the door to a lady gorgeously 
 arrayed in blue. Flodie gave one look at her, 
 then whispered : "There's the first one of 
 'em now ! Miss Gale." Then she stepped 
 forward, sniffing frangipani scornfully, and 
 welcomed Rosamund. 
 
 An elaborate, painstaking picture of femi- 
 nine frippery was Rosamund Gale, lavishly 
 decorated, turbulent with laces, feathers and 
 furs. She came in as if making a stage en- 
 trance, conscious of her costume, with all 
 her jewelry loaded up on her. The bold 
 swing of her long plumes, the cape, cavalier- 
 265 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ly flung over one shoulder, the paint and the 
 artfully shadowed eyes, all proclaimed the 
 man-hunter. Something was to happen to- 
 night. Rosamund was on the war-path. 
 
 She barely acknowledged Flodie's greet- 
 ing, or Jonas' presence, but cast a hasty 
 anxious glance about; then, seeing no women, 
 seemed to breathe freer. "Where's Hall?" 
 she asked almost immediately. 
 
 "Oh, somewhere about. In with the musi- 
 cians probably." Flodie turned to Jonas. 
 "Mr. Hassingbury, Miss Gale!" 
 
 Rosamund, however, had no time for 
 strangers. She gave him a nervous smile, 
 and let him take her hand; then she turned 
 eagerly to Flodie. "Oh, Miss Fisher, is Mrs. 
 Royalton here yet? Is Miss Dallys here?" 
 
 Jonas bent over her. "What was the name, 
 please? I didn't quite ketch it." 
 
 "Gale. Very pleasant evening, isn't it!" 
 said Rosamund coldly. She whispered to 
 Flodie. "Say, can't you get Hall for me? 
 I've got something to say to him. It's awful- 
 ly important." 
 
 266 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Jonas broke in. "Why, now, they's a lot 
 o' Gales down to Branford, where I live. I 
 wonder if you " 
 
 "Tell him to hurry please!" cried Rosa- 
 mund to Flodie. Flodie started ofif, smiling, 
 but Rosamund caught at her arm and held 
 her. "Wait a minute, though! Miss Fisher, 
 listen! Has anything — anything important 
 happened ?" 
 
 "What d'you mean?" 
 
 "Oh, I mean — ^well, nothing exciting, has 
 it?" 
 
 Flodie reflected. "Why, I'm afraid Alfred 
 has spilled some salad on his new dress suit. 
 Miss Gale, if that's what you mean." 
 
 Again Jonas interrupted. He had been 
 staring hard. "Seems to me you do kind o' 
 favor the Gales, miss." 
 
 Rosamund did not condescend to answer. 
 She left haughtily and passed hurriedly into 
 the dressing-room and divested herself of her 
 wraps. Jonas had but time to remark to 
 Flodie, "So she's one of 'em, is she? Pretty 
 gal, by jiminy!" when she was out again, 
 267 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 and without noticing them, had gone to the 
 door of the reception-room, and looked in, 
 scowling. 
 
 Here, the rugs were all up and the floor 
 waxed for dancing. Three musicians were 
 scraping and tuning their instruments. Hall 
 Bonistelle was in a corner, arranging a vase 
 of flowers. Rosamund darted in and swam 
 up to him. No scowl now; she was a differ- 
 ent creature, smiling, radiant, angelic, sailing 
 on an air of gladness. She seized Hall's hand 
 excitedly. 
 
 "Oh, Hall," she exclaimed dramatically, 
 "ma's perfectly delighted! It's all right, and 
 you needn't worry a moment longer! Aren't 
 you glad?" She hung on him fondly as if 
 she expected him to embrace her. 
 
 Hall had turned white. Rosamund's beauty 
 had instantly disarmed him. He had thought 
 himself ready for her, and had mentally re- 
 hearsed a scene wherein he could provoke a 
 quarrel that should end in a quick estrange- 
 ment, and his! release. But, when he saw 
 her, so near, so pretty, his strength failed 
 268 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 him. He could no more have said the brutal 
 things he had contemplated than he could 
 have struck a child. He made a quick deci- 
 sion — ^he would slur it over, let it pass, get 
 along with it some way till he could think, 
 and then, perhaps, he could settle it later. So, 
 weakly, he procrastinated, fumbling her hand. 
 "Really?" he managed to say. "Jove! That's 
 fine!" 
 
 "Well, why don't you kiss me. Hall?" 
 Rosamund's eyes were on the door, watching 
 anxiously for interruptions. Flodie gazed in. 
 
 Hall looked over his shoulder, embarrassed. 
 "Oh, these musicians — I don't want them to 
 — say, wait till we can be alone!" 
 
 "Oh, bother! Those men! What do you 
 care?" 
 
 "But I don't want any one to know, you 
 know — just yet." 
 
 She stared at him in annoyed surprise, then 
 gave another irritated glance at the door. 
 The sound of women's voices goaded her on. 
 "You don't? Nonsense! Why, I intend to 
 announce our engagement immediately." 
 269 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Terror-stricken, Hall exclaimed, "Oh, no, 
 that won't do at all, Rosamund, really. We'll 
 have to wait a little while — not to-night, any- 
 way !" 
 
 Rosamund drew herself up haughtily. She 
 must force things ; the time was short. "Why 
 not, I'd like to know! Are you ashamed of 
 it?" 
 
 "No, of course not — but," he laughed self- 
 consciously — "well, I can't explain now; there 
 isn't time. But really, I'd rather you wouldn't 
 say anything about it for a while, Rosamund." 
 
 "Why, that's half the fun of being en- 
 gaged — talking about it!" Then, after an- 
 other quick look toward the office, she gazed 
 up at him and pressed his hand. "We are en- 
 gaged, aren't we. Hall?" 
 
 "Oh, yes— certainly ! Only " 
 
 Rosamund had an instant of triumph and 
 relief. It was all right, then. She tossed 
 her head as if in secret revolt; she would 
 have her own way, see if she didn't ! "Well," 
 she said coldly, "I'll wait a while, if you in- 
 sist. Only, I should think you might look 
 happier about it. ,You act so funny!" 
 270 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, I am happy, really, Rosamund ! Why, 
 I'm the happiest man in the world!" Hall 
 threw himself desperately into the part. "On- 
 ly I suppose I'm dazed or something. You see, 
 I was so afraid you were going to refuse 
 me, you know — and I had sort of — well, 
 made up my mind to it — given up hope, don't 
 you see? Lord, it is a relief, of course! Big 
 relief! Somehow, though, I can't quite real- 
 ize it. Hang it, Rosamund, you understand 
 how it would be, don't you?" He had worked 
 himself into a good appearance of fervor. 
 
 She waited for a moment, looking at him 
 meltingly. "Why, Hall!" she breathed, "you 
 really have worried, haven't you! I had no 
 idea you cared for me so much as that!" 
 
 "Yes, I certainly have worried; there's no 
 doubt about that, Rosamund!" 
 
 "Well," she went on hurriedly, "then I 
 don't want you to suffer any longer than I 
 can help. Hall. Listen; couldn't we get mar- 
 ried to-morrow? At noon, say; very quietly? 
 I did expect a wedding, but it really doesn't 
 matter, I suppose, if it would relieve you any 
 to have it over." 
 
 271 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall's mind had wandered. "What? — 
 to-morrow !" 
 
 "Yes, I think I could get ready. Ma won't 
 care." 
 
 He shook his head decidedly. "No, I'm 
 afraid I couldn't possibly manage it, Rosa- 
 mund, really. And say, I've got to go in 
 there, now; the people are coming, you 
 know !" 
 
 "Why, Hall Bonistelle! I thought you 
 were in such a terrible hurry! When you 
 proposed this morning you certainly acted 
 so!" 
 
 "Oh, I know, I know," Hall was fidgeting. 
 "But I don't think we ought to do anything 
 — well, you know, rash, Rosamund. You 
 see, it might look — ^well, never mind — why, 
 don't you see, of course I wanted your an- 
 swer, but now that I'm sure of you — ^you 
 know what I mean; it's all settled, you know 
 — the suspense is over." He paused to grow 
 magnanimous. "I'm perfectly willing to wait 
 and let you take your own time to get ready, 
 Rosamund." 
 
 272 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund stared at him. "Well, I'll be 
 switched! What's happened to you, Hall? 
 Why, I thought you'd be tickled to death 
 at an early marriage." 
 
 "Oh, no, I'm in no hurry at all. Say, by 
 jove, there's Mr. Doremus, now! I must 
 speak to him! No, it's a serious thing, Rosa- 
 mund, and we ought to go slow!" He tried 
 to edge off. 
 
 "But, Hall — wait a minute, can't you? 
 Wasn't there, now, some particular reason 
 for your hurry, this morning? I mean, well, 
 you surely were rather — " She hesitated, see- 
 ing his inattention, and turned away peevish- 
 ly. "Well, I never thought I'd have to heg 
 you. Hall Bonistelle!" 
 
 He was saved from having to reply by 
 Jonas Hassingbury, who, glimpsing the en- 
 counter, and impelled by Flodie, had plunged 
 boldly forward to the rescue. 
 
 "Say," he began pointblank to Rosamund, 
 "be you any relation to Abijah Gale? I be- 
 lieve his mother was a Nettleton." 
 
 Rosamund glared, and Hall, seizing the hap- 
 273 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 py chance, had already begun to edge off, 
 with a mumbled something about duties and 
 guests. People had, in truth, begun to arrive 
 and the place was filling rapidly. The musi- 
 cians had begun to play; Flodie looked in, 
 with a distressed face, and beckoned. Still 
 Rosamund held him by the sleeve. 
 
 Jonas fired again. "Ain't never been down 
 Branford way, have ye? Say, you ought to 
 run down to our village sometime, miss, and 
 git a mess o' clams. We got some fust-class 
 lobsters down home. Know it?" 
 
 Rosamund turned the full glory of her 
 gaze upon him. "Oh, yes," she said sweetly, 
 "I can easily believe that!" 
 
 But alas for her irony! This indulgence 
 had cost her her prey. Hall was already 
 across the room, and Jonas clung like a leech. 
 She could not, with all her insolence, detach 
 him. 
 
 Guests were coming in bunches, now, and 
 
 kept Hall so busy for half an hour that he 
 
 had no time to plan how he should escape 
 
 from the other two women with whom he 
 
 274 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 must inevitably have matrimonial converse. 
 So far, he was not particularly anxious. Rosa- 
 mund he thought he could dispose of some- 
 how, putting her off till Flodie should change 
 her mind ; and from Carolyn Dallys and Mrs. 
 Royalton he feared little. Carolyn had not 
 appeared to take his proposal very seriously, 
 she would undoubtedly refuse him; and 
 Rena,^ — well Rena might give some trouble, 
 but he was sure he could manage her, too. 
 He would trust, at any rate, to the inspira- 
 tion of the moment. With four millions — 
 and Flodie — ^he didn't much care what they 
 thought of him. It was a caddish trick, per- 
 haps, but — four millions! The end would 
 have to justify the means. It made him un- 
 comfortable, and he wished the evening well 
 over, but he considered himself in the hands 
 of destiny. So, handsome and elegant and 
 popular, witty and well-bred, he laughed and 
 gossiped with his guests, started the dancing, 
 introduced one to another, showed his color 
 prints, and between times, watched the 
 liiousy ^irl in white who had so suddenly 
 
 275 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 assumed an extraordinary importance in his 
 life. 
 
 Flodie, merely bowed to and patronized by 
 most of the guests, had discovered an un- 
 expected friend in Mr. Doremus. He, find- 
 ing her his only acquaintance, had stuck to 
 her like a burr. Flodie liked him. It was 
 hard to recognize him, however, as the 
 solemn businesslike attorney of the fore- 
 noon. He was, in his evening costume and 
 his evening mood, urbane, talkative, even 
 amusing. At Flodie's mischievous encourage- 
 ment he bade fair to be a very gay old dog, 
 indeed; he actually flirted with her, not with- 
 out a glance too, occasionally, at the actresses 
 who were the feature of the party. At a 
 one-step he could not cut much of a figure, 
 but seated in the office with Flodie, where 
 she could keep an eye on Alfred and the 
 caterer, it was not long before she felt im- 
 pelled to make him her ally. With all his 
 elephantine wit and his manners of the old 
 school, Mr. Doremus treated her in a jocose, 
 fatherly, indulgent way that inspired her 
 27^ 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 trust. And, that evening, Flodie had dire 
 need of a coadjutor. She begaii to give him 
 her confidence, bit by bit, watching his face 
 more than Hstening to his replies, and de- 
 cide that she could trust him; he had sym- 
 pathy and tact. When, at last, after many 
 interruptions, her story was told, Mr. Dore- 
 mus took off his misty glasses and wiped 
 them. 
 
 "Miss Fisher," he said soberly, "you know 
 my opinions on the subject of matrimony.. I 
 have already voiced them to Mr. Bonistelle. 
 They have always been, I fear, inspired by 
 cynicism. In my youth I had a romantic and 
 unfortunate affair with one I considered — 
 well, never mind, — this is no place to recall 
 juvenile illusions. But, Miss Fisher, let 
 me tell you this; if anything in the world 
 could change my convictions regarding the 
 female sex and the desirability of contracting 
 such alliances, I can tell you, with all the 
 sincerity of an old, and, I trust, an honorable 
 man, it would be the regret of not having, to 
 console my declining years, a daughter whom 
 277 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I could love, as I admire and respect you." 
 He bowed low, and taking her hand, kissed 
 it like a courtier. "If there is anything I 
 can do to help you. Miss Fisher, in this crisis, 
 let me implore you to tell me." 
 
 Flodie got up slowly, and looked into his 
 kind blue eyes. "Would you mind coming 
 into the studio for a few minutes?" she asked. 
 "I'm so afraid we may be interrupted or over- 
 heard. I want to tell you something." 
 
 Mr. Doremus offered her his arm, and es- 
 corted her into the studio. 
 
 By eleven o'clock both Carolyn Dallys and 
 Mrs. Royalton had come. They had, in fact, 
 arrived together, having shared Mrs. Royal- 
 ton's limousine. This preconcerted action was 
 caused less by friendship than a mutual sus- 
 picion. The two ladies dared not trust each 
 other out of sight, and each for fear the 
 other might gain an advantage, sacrificed 
 her own desire to be beforehand with her 
 plans. 
 
 So, scarfed and sparkling, they arrived, to 
 give a first anxious look for Rosamund Gale. 
 278 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Rosamund, triumphant, noted their curiosity, 
 and kindled under it. The two raised their 
 eyebrows in dumb question. Rosamund shook 
 her head. The newcomers passed in, inter- 
 rogating each other as to Rosamund's good 
 faith. Each gave a last hasty touch to her 
 toilet with an eye to the other's progress 
 and success. 
 
 The party was now in full, swing. Some 
 twenty were in the reception-room, dancing, 
 or watching the dancers. A few second- 
 choice actresses gave color to the affair, suc- 
 ceeding better with the half dozen men-about- 
 town than with the dowagers who played 
 chaperon. The professional entertainers were 
 like yeast in a mass of dough, however; their 
 sprightly manners gradually set the room in 
 a ferment of gaiety, and aided by punch and 
 turkey-trots, the evening grew in life and 
 merriment. Mr. Doremus, back from his in- 
 terview with Flodie, was infected by the 
 revels. He blossomed suddenly and unex- 
 pectedly into hilarity, and encouraged and 
 stimulated by the gayer of the young actress- 
 279 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 es, became, in spite of himself, the center of 
 the party. 
 
 Lord, how they flattered him! Half ca- 
 joled, half doubting, the old man began to 
 flame. His sallies sent the company into 
 shrieks of laughter; and when, protesting 
 fiercely, he was dragged, red-faced, into the 
 studio to sing an antique comic song, the 
 success of the affair was irrevocably estab- 
 lished. The company did not let him off till 
 Alfred Smallish, blushing furiously, appeared 
 in the doorway. 
 
 "Supper is ready — I mean — er — supper is 
 served!" he announced, and coughed into 
 his hand. 
 
 The three soubrettes who had been pelting 
 Mr. Doremus with pinks, now surrounded 
 him, bound him with evergreen garlands and 
 carried him off enslaved, through the office, 
 where Flodie was presiding over tables of 
 salad and sandwiches, into the reception- 
 room, where they enthroned him on an old 
 Spanish chair, and waited on him like houris. 
 The gentlemen rushed back and forth with 
 280 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 plates and napkins; everybody began to talk 
 and laugh. Beer bottles popped. 
 
 Hall Bonistelle, all this while, had success- 
 fully evaded the two women to whom he had, 
 only that morning, made such desperate 
 whirlwind love. He had, it is true, met them 
 and talked to them, but always warily, before 
 witnesses. Mrs. Royalton had more than 
 once endeavored to signal him a fond mes- 
 sage with her large round eyes; but luckily 
 for Hall, something or some one had always 
 baffled her. She and Carolyn had kept to- 
 gether, watching each other, for mutual 
 protection. Impersonal in his attentions to 
 both. Hall had cleverly managed so that not 
 even a quick whisper of conversation was 
 possible. As the ice was broken, however, 
 and the company, well started by Mr. Dore- 
 mus, began to amuse itself without restraint, 
 breaking up into sociable groups. Hall's ap- 
 pearance of constant occupation became more 
 difficult to maintain. Also, it was growing 
 late. Something must be done in a hurry, 
 or his fortune would be lost. This shilly- 
 281 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 shallying with the problem would not do, he 
 must have it over somehow. In fact. Hall 
 was becoming desperate. It did not seem 
 at all so easy as he had expected. If only 
 Flodie hadn't got her back up so foolishly! 
 Well, he must, at least, be off with his old 
 loves before he was on with the new. And, 
 for that, he must have the answers of the two 
 women. 
 
 He left the company and walked into the 
 studio, now deserted, to look at the clock. 
 Heavens! It was already half after eleven. 
 Something would liave to happen in a hurry, 
 if 
 
 Carolyn Dallys appeared in the doorway, 
 smiling. She was wearing corn color, in a 
 costume no man could have described five 
 minutes after he had seen it. Carolyn's 
 clothes were alwa)'S not only original 
 but characteristic of her. Rosamund, her 
 sensuous personality rich as a raspberry, was 
 always self-consciously clad — one imagined 
 her trying on this and that, experimenting 
 in effects, taking off and piling on, arranging 
 282 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 and rearranging, and ending overdressed. 
 Her clothes, without being quite vulgar, 
 drowned her personality. With Mrs. Royal- 
 ton, the taste was better, much better; but 
 it was not, apparently her own taste — she 
 was indebted to the talent of some smart 
 modiste. She was always in the vogue, as 
 Rosamund was always, if not out of it, at 
 least alongside, on the artistic side, that is. 
 One could predict, from Mrs. Royalton's 
 gowns, what, in three months, every one else 
 would be wearing. Her frocks had distinc- 
 tion — almost too much — it was as if they 
 were wearing her. The cut was too start- 
 lingly correct and ultrafashionable — the ef- 
 fect was that of a peer who insisted upon 
 wearing his coronet. Carolyn Dallys' 
 dresses, though they were always modern, 
 one never particularly noticed; they were as 
 much a part of her as wings are of a bird, 
 or the lovely appropriate fur of a graceful 
 animal. Above all, she knew how to wear 
 her clothes, and was unconscious of them. 
 All this made her a little less obviously femi- 
 283 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 nine — in the sense in which men secretly de- 
 spise women. She kept her charm, but it 
 was not exotic. There was a boyishness in 
 it; a cannibal might have said that Carolyn 
 would taste like an olive. 
 
 She sauntered in, and dropped upon the 
 couch, to look up at him good-naturedly. 
 Hall's hope rose. It was going to be easy, 
 thank heaven. She didn't at all have the 
 smile of a prospective owner. 
 
 "Well, Hall," she began, "you don't seem 
 particularly anxious to see your blushing 
 bride. I had almost begun to think you were 
 deliberately avoiding me." 
 
 "Avoiding you! Nonsense, Carolyn!" 
 Hall laughed easily and tossed her a box of 
 cigarettes. "Why in the world should I 
 avoid you? I'm awfully sorry I haven't had 
 more time, but I couldn't possibly help it. 
 Really, I've been so confoundedly busy with 
 all these people, and " 
 
 She broke in placidly: "Well, you're not 
 busy now, are you?" 
 
 Hall began to be afraid. "Oh, no, of course 
 284 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 not. Why?" He watched her as if she were 
 about to strike him. 
 
 "Well, then, I've made up my mind. Hall." 
 
 "What do you mean?" he asked, and as- 
 suming a carelessness he was far from feel- 
 ing, he walked to the table and took up a 
 flower, idly. 
 
 She gave a low laugh of amusement, look- 
 ing at him between her half-closed lids. She 
 was not in the least disconcerted. To Hall 
 the very lightness of her air was danger- 
 ous. It was going to be harder to handle 
 her than he expected. 
 
 "Why, I told you over the telephone, didn't 
 I? Look pleasant, Hall," she said; "it's 
 'yes.' I've decided to accept you." 
 
 Hall grew faint. It was not alone the 
 words that alarmed him. It was the cold- 
 blooded tone in which they were uttered. 
 There was a deliberateness, a fixity of pur- 
 pose in it that threatened his complacency. 
 Carolyn still maintained her usual jocular 
 manner, but there was something keen and 
 steely beneath it that he had never before 
 285 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 felt. He rose to meet it with all his skill 
 at acting. 
 
 "Lord, Carolyn," he exclaimed, walking 
 up to her impatiently, "you didn't really take 
 me seriously, this morning, did you?" He 
 burst out into forced laughter. "Well, that 
 is funny; Think of you — of all women — get- 
 ting caught like that! It's perfectly absurd! 
 Why, good heavens, Carolyn, I gave you 
 credit for having more sense than that. Can't 
 a man have some diversion occasionally, I'd 
 like to know! Why, if you knew the amount 
 of silly women I have in here, day after day 
 — women who bore me to death with their 
 vanity and sentimentality — ^you'd understand 
 how when I do get hold of a woman with 
 brains, I feel like having a little fun occasion- 
 ally. You can't make me believe you thought 
 I was in earnest, you know ! That's absurd !" 
 
 So the agile trout, when he first feels the 
 hook in his mouth, thinks that by a bold 
 struggle he can regain his freedom, and 
 thrashes the pool with hectic energy. But 
 Carolyn, with all her humor, was a shrewd 
 286 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 cool fisher of men. Calmly, surely, she 
 kept her line taut. She had struck four mil- 
 lions! Not for a moment had she lost her 
 composure. Slowly she spoke; she almost 
 drawled. 
 
 "Why, yes, I did, Hall! Surely. You 
 seemed to have a lucid interval, you know, 
 this morning, and I believed every word you 
 said. And what's more," she added, "I be- 
 lieve it now!" Lazily, to and fro, her feather 
 fan was sweeping. 
 
 Hall floundered again, wildly. "Oh, come 
 on, Carolyn! Can't you take a joke?" 
 
 "Yes," she answered smilingly, "when I 
 see the point of it. Will you kindly explain?" 
 
 The point. Hall well knew, was in his own 
 mouth. He dashed up and down the room 
 fretfully, making fervent gestures. Poor 
 fish! He still imagined he could get away 
 from the hook. "Good lord, I have ex- 
 plained, haven't I? You're not a fool, Caro- 
 lyn; surely you know just what I meant. You 
 only want to tease me. I suppose it was an 
 asinine sort of thing to do, and in a way I 
 287 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 don't blame you for resenting it. But there's 
 no need of pretending any longer, you know." 
 Again he laughed, a hard unnatural laugh, 
 yery sharp and nervous. "Why, see here, 
 you'll be actually embarrassing me, if I don't 
 look out! Don't insist on making a scene 
 of it! Why, good lord, I only wanted to 
 hear what you'd say!" 
 
 "Well, you've heard; I say 'yes'! Now 
 what?" She took a cigarette from the table 
 and grace fuly lighted it, pufifed out the 
 smoke, and yawned. 
 
 "Oh, don't talk nonsense, Carolyn. I 
 thought you had a sense of humor; I really 
 did. Lord! it's perfectly ridiculous!" He 
 sat down and laughed again; but it was get- 
 ting to be hard work. 
 
 She knocked the ash off her cigarette; 
 looked at it. Then she looked at him, dis- 
 passionately, still smiling. 
 
 "Well," she said, crossing her legs com- 
 fortably, "you certainly seem to have a 
 sense of humor, anyway! I'm all ready to 
 laugh, too, Hall, when you make it a little 
 288 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 clearer. Now — ^let me ask you a question: 
 is the joke on me," — she paused maliciously 
 — "or on you?" She took another puff. 
 
 As she drew in her line thus, his frenzied! 
 struggles were getting shorter, but more 
 violent. "Oh, hang it all, Carolyn, you know 
 I was only fooling, of course ! Why, we were 
 laughing all the time, you know that! I 
 had no idea you'd ever accept me!" 
 
 She laughed lightly. "But now that you 
 know that I will accept you, it seems to me 
 that you ought to look a little happier, hadn't 
 you? If you ask me, I should say that you 
 had stumbled into a remarkably pleasant 
 surprise !" 
 
 "Do you mean to tell me that you are in 
 love with me?" he asked bitingly. 
 
 "Not at all! I see no need of lying about 
 it, whatever. But you certainly do amuse 
 me." Her eyes danced. 
 
 "Well, I should say it was hardly enough 
 to accept a man simply because he amused 
 you!" This was the best Hall could do, 
 now; he was getting winded. 
 289 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, yes," she replied jauntily, "on Ijje 
 contrary, I'm quite sure that I shall want to 
 be amused all my life — especially when Tm 
 married." 
 
 The word made him jump. "Married! 
 Well, you're not married yet!" he cried 
 savagely. 
 
 "No, but that usually comes next on the 
 program after an engagement, doesn't it?" 
 
 "Heavens! Do you consider that we are 
 engaged ?" 
 
 She looked at him with surprised eyes. 
 "Why, of course! Aren't we? You cer- 
 tainly proposed to me, and I have given you 
 your answer. What more do you want to 
 seal the contract, and make it holy? A kiss?" 
 Carolyn's fishing was approaching a climax. 
 She began to wind in her line to short length, 
 speaking incisively. "See here. Hall, you're 
 not trying to get out of it, or anything, are 
 you?" 
 
 Hall gasped, wearied with the duel. "Now, 
 Carolyn, let me explain just how it is — I'll 
 have to tell you something — I want to — hang 
 290 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 it — you make it so damned hard for me — > 
 what I mean is " 
 
 Carolyn rose and looked him in the eye. 
 She laid her hand on him; and, soft as was 
 its touch, he felt as if it were gripping him 
 like a handcuff. "Hall, see here! Are you 
 trying to get out of it, or aren't you! Just 
 tell me that!" 
 
 "Why — ^why, I think you're carrying the 
 joke a little too far, Carolyn, that's all — 
 honestly I do!" 
 
 Carolyn now had him at the edge of the 
 boat. She jerked him in with a laugh. "My 
 dear old Hall," she said, and her voice was 
 honey-sweet, "I'm carrying it only far enough 
 to want to wear that ring you bought to-day 
 for me. Where is it?" She actually began 
 to feel in his waistcoat pocket. 
 
 He backed off in terror. "I haven't any 
 ring!" 
 
 For a moment she seemed to lose her con- 
 fidence. "You haven't any? See here. Hall, 
 you haven't — you haven't given it to any 
 one, have you?" 
 
 291 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "No! of course I haven't. I mean — ^what 
 ring?" Unconsciously his hand went to the 
 other side pocket in his waistcoat. 
 
 Carolyn smiled, relieved. "Well, never 
 mind. We don't want any one to know just 
 yet, anyway, do we? Rings can wait. Now 
 come over here and sit down, and I'll tell 
 you exactly what we're going to do." She 
 proceeded to lead him, too dazed to resist, 
 toward the couch where they sat down to- 
 gether. 
 
 "Now be brave," she said, smiling, "I'll 
 let you hold my hand. You do just what I 
 say, and you'll never regret it. I hate en- 
 gagements; they have neither the excitement 
 of courtship, nor the satisfaction of matri- 
 mony. So, at just nine o'clock to-morrow 
 morning, you are going to call on me and 
 we'll toddle down to a justice of the peace. 
 We'll just cut out the white veil and down- 
 cast eyes and ever3^hing. All you'll have to 
 do is to put a gold band on my finger; and 
 my share will be to say 'I will' and become 
 Mrs, Hall Bonistelle. What's the matter?" 
 293 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall was staring toward the door. "My 
 cousin Jonas," he said. 
 
 "Oh, bother!" Carolyn's eyes shot fire. 
 "Just as we want to arrange everything." 
 
 Jonas Hassingbury, tall and gaunt, eating 
 a lettuce sandwich, strolled in, as cool and 
 self-possessed as the most experienced cotil- 
 lion leader in town. He was perfectly sure 
 of himself; without wealth, or power or 
 social training, he was blessed with an egoism 
 that a king might have envied. Jonas 
 had never been embarrassed in his life. 
 
 Hall looked at him, for the first time with 
 relief, and rose. 
 
 "Miss Dallys," he said, "let me present my 
 cousin, Mr. Hassingbury." 
 
 Jonas put the sandwich behind his back, 
 and bowed. Carolyn looked up at him, an- 
 noyed. 
 
 "Dallys?" Jonas queried, "never he'erd o' 
 that name before, to my knowledge. What 
 be ye, Portuguee?" With the grace of a 
 veteran, he dropped down beside her on the 
 couch. 
 
 293 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "No," said Carolyn, "I'm a pure Cam- 
 bodian half-breed, born in Albania, of Sene- 
 gambian parents. Are you a stranger in 
 New York, Mr. Hassingbury ?" 
 
 Hall watched his chance. 
 
 Jonas laughed and took another bite of 
 his sandwich. "You talk like these here 
 suffragettes!" he remarked easily. "You're 
 up and comin' all right!" He even patted 
 her on the knee. 
 
 At any other time Carolyn would have 
 welcomed his quaint charm. But her eyes 
 were now for Hall, and she was anxious. 
 Her answer was vague. 
 
 Jonas, however, did not appear to notice it. 
 His work was plain. He had to make him- 
 self attractive, and get rid of Hall. He 
 launched forth, therefore, on a description 
 of the town of Branford, its advantages and 
 failures. The marshes, the sound, the high- 
 ways and stores and summer residents, "bears 
 in the woods, too, up in the hills" and a few 
 ancient jests of the neighborhood — while 
 Carolyn yawned behind her fan. 
 294 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 At the first pause Hall broke in. "By 
 jove, Carolyn, I've got to get some photo- 
 graphs in my room I promised to show Mr. 
 Doremus !" 
 
 "Oh, pshaw, don't bother about them 
 now!" she exclaimed. 
 
 "Go ahead. Hall!" cried Jonas, crossing 
 his legs comfortably, "I don't mind; take 
 your time!" He laughed harshly. 
 
 "Yes, cousin Jonas will take care of you 
 all right, Carolyn. He's a great man for 
 the ladies!" and with this Hall slid out of 
 range of her protest. 
 
 Jonas' contented laugh ran through his 
 comment: "Great boy, Hall; great boy! 
 Guess he must have kind o' mistrusted I'd 
 took a fancy to ye. Ha-ha-ha! Wall, I 
 never was one to complain of a gal's bein' 
 pretty — or clever. What's the matter? Ain't 
 mad, be" ye ?" 
 
 Carolyn pulled herself together to make 
 the best of it. This yokel must be got rid 
 of at once. She leaned toward him with 
 ardor. 
 
 295 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Hassingbury, do you really think 
 I'm pretty? You must have known so many 
 beautiful women — in Branford!" 
 
 "Yes, that's right!" said Jonas, with unc- 
 tion. "I certainly have, miss. Why, I've 
 buried three wives a' ready!" 
 
 "Three?" Carolyn tried hard not to smile. 
 
 "Yas. I reckon I know pretty near as 
 much about women as anybody." 
 
 "Oh, I'm sure you do!" She added arch- 
 ly, "It wouldn't be much use for a woman 
 to try to fool you, would it!" 
 
 "Fool mef" Jonas laughed. "I'd like to 
 see 'em try it!" 
 
 "Then you're just the man I've been look- 
 ing for!" said Carolyn. "I want you to help 
 me; will you?" She jumped up eagerly. 
 
 He rose also. "What appears to be the 
 trouble?" 
 
 "Why, there are two women here that I'm 
 just dying to have your opinion of. Come 
 out with me and I'll introduce them to you, 
 and let you talk to them; will you?" 
 
 "You bet I will. Just let me see 'em! I 
 296 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 guess if anybody can size 'em up, Jonas 
 Hassingbury can!" 
 
 And with that he followed her out into 
 the other room, and Carolyn delivered him 
 over to Rosamund Gale. 
 
 Hall, meanwhile, was near the boiling point 
 of his rage. He had been defeated by Car- 
 olyn's cleverness. How she had managed 
 him, never showing her hand, but tacitly put- 
 ting it up to him whether to acknowledge 
 himself a cad or stand by his words! She 
 knew — she must know what was up, or she 
 would never have stood the things he .had 
 said to her, she, Carolyn Dallys, the proud, 
 the intelligent, — of all women! It gave him 
 a new illumination on woman's nature. They 
 would make any sacrifice of pride, then, to 
 get what they wanted. He was furious at 
 her, at himself, at everybody. Here were 
 two women, now, who had a hold on him- — 
 and before long there would be three! 
 Never! Hall swore it with a round oath. 
 Mrs. Royalton, at least, would not triumph. 
 She hadn't Carolyn's brains, she hadn't Rosa- 
 297 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 mund's disarming beauty. She was, when it 
 came right down to it, more or less of a fool. 
 Well, let her come! He would settle Rena 
 Royalton and in short order! 
 
 But, after all, he thought, why bother with 
 Rena? Why not ignore her, and make a 
 last attempt to win Flodie? He looked up 
 at the clock. Good heavens! It was al- 
 ready twenty minutes to twelve! And his 
 four millions were no nearer than ever. He 
 jumped up impulsively, and strode to the 
 door. 
 
 The company had about finished supper. 
 The little orchestra had started up again, and 
 had begun on a new turkey-trot. A few 
 couples were stepping off into that ridicu- 
 lous glide, some with lively jerks, some sway- 
 ing from the waist, some with the slow, de- 
 liberate, sensuous unction which has, more 
 than everything, called down anathema upon 
 the dance. As a proof of its insidious 
 charm, who but Jonas Hassingbury himself 
 had succumbed! He was dancing with the 
 fair Rosamund. Mr. Doremus, still sur- 
 298 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 rounded and petted by the three pretty ac- 
 tresses, was telling a funny story. There 
 was a sharp squall of laughter as he finished. 
 Where the devil was Flodie? Hall peered 
 from behind the portieres, so as not to be 
 seen himself. In a moment she emerged 
 from the stock-room with a plate of ice- 
 cream, and, smiling, passed it to Mr. Dore- 
 mus. Then she looked up, and caught Hall's 
 eye. He beckoned and she carelessly ap- 
 proached the studio. 
 
 As she crossed the threshold Hall caught 
 her by the wrist and drew in. She looked 
 up at him, a little frightened. 
 
 "Flodie," he exclaimed wildly, "Flodie, 
 I can't stand it any longer. Don't keep it 
 up any longer, dear! Say 'yes,' can't you? 
 Flodie, for God's sake " 
 
 She looked him up and she looked him 
 down, and anger was in her eyes. "I gave 
 you my answer, Mr. Bonistelle. Didn't you 
 understand me, this afternoon?" She backed 
 off, preparing to leave. 
 
 He seized her again. "Flodie, I won't take 
 299 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 no for an answer. I love you too much!" 
 He fumbled in his pocket and drew, out the 
 ring. "Here, take this, Flo; wear it, won't 
 you? And, as soon as I can get Mr. Dore- 
 mus in here, I'll put another one on your 
 finger that'll make us man and wife !" 
 
 She took it, and tossed it across the studio. 
 It bounded along the floor. "No, thanks, Mr. 
 Bonistelle ! You'll have to excuse me, I'm 
 busy." 
 
 "But heavens, Flo, look at the clock! It's 
 nearly twelve! I have only fifteen minutes 
 more, Flo! Don't turn me down! Oh, 
 I want you so, Flodie- — won't you " 
 
 Now she turned on him with scorn. "Oh, 
 that's why you're in such a hurry, is it? I 
 thought so. Take one of those three women 
 )-ou have proposed to — they'll do for your 
 purpose! — ^they'll help you out, any one of 
 them. You have only to say the word. 
 Whistle and they'll come to you. There's 
 Mrs. Royalton, now! Marry her! You've 
 got ten minutes left — go ahead, I don't care !" 
 She paused on the threshold. "I'll send her 
 300 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 in. She'll make you a good wife — she's had 
 a lot more experience than I have! Good 
 luck!" 
 
 Hall, left alone, walked up and down the 
 studio angrily. He was so engrossed with 
 his thoughts that he did not see Mrs. Royal- 
 ton, who had entered a moment after Flo- 
 die left, until, turning suddenly, he all but 
 ran into her. Rena, beaming, effusive, held 
 out both her hands, caught his and laid her 
 dark head against his shoulder. 
 
 "Oh, Hall!" she breathed. 
 
 Hall tried unsuccessfully to free himself. 
 "What's the matter now?" he asked. 
 
 She looked fondly up into his face. "Oh, 
 Hall, didn't you understand what I said 
 over the phone? I've been trying to speak 
 to you ever since I came, but that Carolyn 
 Dallys has been in the way all the time. I 
 know you are sirpply dying to hear my an- 
 swer. That telephone was awful — ^just when 
 I wanted to talk to you most. Forgive me. 
 Hall, dear! I didn't mean to torture you 
 so; you must have suffered terribly!" 
 301 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "SufiEered! Oh, no; lord, I'm all right. 
 Don't mind me!" 
 
 "No, of course you know what my answer 
 is to be. Hall. Of course you have seen it 
 in my eyes, haven't you. Hall?" 
 
 "I haven't seen anything. I've been too 
 busy — ^and too worried. What a fool I was 
 to invite all these people here to-night!" He 
 got away from her at last, and started ner- 
 vously for the door, wondering how he could 
 escape the woman. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, however, only burst into 
 a radiant smile. "Oh, it would be lovely, if 
 we could only be alone, wouldn't it! To-night 
 of all nights! Of course you are worried! 
 You poor dear ! Well, Hall, I can't play with 
 you; you know I can't. I'm too warm- 
 hearted. I'm nothing but a big baby, after 
 all!" She eyed him kittenishly. "Some 
 women keep you waiting, and torment 
 you, and tease you, and all that, you know. 
 But I'm going to put you out of your misery 
 right away. Hall, dear " 
 
 A sudden thought came to him, a desper- 
 302 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 ate expedient. Any stick to beat a dog with; 
 any excuse, however ridiculous, would do for 
 a quarrel with this clinging sickening fe- 
 male. He must get rid of her. So, quick as 
 a flash, he took up her words and plunged 
 into a histrionic rage. 
 
 "Well, it's all over, then! All right, Mrs. 
 Royalton. You needn't waste any sym- 
 pathy on me. I can stand it, all right." 
 
 "But, Hall, you don't understand! I 
 mean " 
 
 "Oh, I understand it right enough. That's 
 the trouble, I understand it too well. Well, 
 you've put me out of my misery, all right. 
 Thank God, you did it while there was time 
 for me to escape worse!" 
 
 "But I don't mean that, Hall, really " 
 
 "No, you mean you only wanted to lure 
 me on — get me to propose, and then throw 
 me down! I know! All a woman cares for 
 is to fool some man — any man will do, I 
 suppose, so long as her vanity is satisfied, 
 and she can have his scalp to wear at her 
 belt! Isn't it shameful what a woman will 
 303 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 do, just for the moment's cruel pleasure? 
 You have no sympathy, no tenderness, no 
 heart — you're nothing but a mass of insane 
 female conceit, that's what you are! Thank 
 God I found it out in time, I say! Oh, I 
 did think I loved you, Rena, I admit; but I 
 was a fool to believe in you. Now, it's all 
 over!" 
 
 He went up to her, shaking his finger 
 savagely. "It's all over, and I'm glad of it! 
 I'm well rid of you, Rena Royalton, and it 
 will teach me a lesson! I'd just like to tell 
 you what I think of you, but you're my guest 
 in my house, and unfortunately I'm a gentle- 
 man, and so I can't do it. But there's one 
 thing I can say, and that's 'Good evening!' 
 Mrs. Royalton, and you'll have to excuse me, 
 for I have my guests to attend to!" 
 
 Almost winded with this extravagant fury, 
 he turned to make his exit as speedily as 
 possible, but she was too quick for him. 
 Seizing his arm, she looked him straight in 
 the face, her eyes filled with tears. 
 
 "Why, Hall Bonistelle!" she exclaimed. 
 304 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "You're crazy! Why, I'm going to accept 
 you!" 
 
 He dropped like a log upon a chair, in 
 amazement. Was it possible that he had failed 
 again? The idea that any woman would 
 stand such insults bewildered him. If that 
 tirade could not finish her, what in the world 
 was the use of trying to shake her off? The 
 audacity of his scheme, now that it had failed, 
 had ruined his chance for any escape. She 
 had demolished his whole towering pose at a 
 word. For a moment he was unable to speak. 
 
 She, meanwhile, had fallen on her knees 
 before him, her arms about him, babbling 
 her affection. "You poor dear child!" she 
 exclaimed, stroking his hand, "did you really 
 think that I could be so heartless as that? 
 What kind of women you must have had 
 to do with! Why, Hall, I love you, dear! 
 Don't you know that? And I'm going to be 
 your wife!" 
 
 He stared down at her, fascinated by her 
 determination. 
 
 "Kiss me, dear!" she pleaded, "and then 
 305 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 we'll forget all about it!" And she had risen 
 and actually embraced him before he knew 
 it. 
 
 Then she looked at him very archly. "Hall," 
 she said, "don't you think I'm prettier than 
 usual, to-night? Or do I imagine it because 
 I'm so awfully happy?" 
 
 The question pricked him into life. He 
 looked at her coldly, and in desperation made 
 another attempt to goad her into anger. "I 
 don't see much difference," he said surlily. 
 "What d'you want to wear red for, anyway, 
 Rena? You look like the devil in red!" 
 
 "Oh, Hall," she cried, "you do care for 
 me, don't you? Of course you want me to 
 look my best! I'm sorry you think red is 
 unbecoming — I wouldn't have worn it for 
 anything, but" — she grew animated, — "after 
 we're married, dear, you must choose all my 
 dresses !" 
 
 "After we're married! Lord, Rena, you 
 talk like a fool!" 
 
 "Oh, I suppose 1 am a fool, compared with 
 you. Hall," she said sweetly, "but then, 
 300 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 you're so clever, you'd eclipse any one, and' 
 easily poor little me!" 
 
 "Poor little me!" Hall broke out. "Poor 
 little me seems perfectly able to take care of 
 herself! See here, Mrs. Royalton " 
 
 "Mrs. Royalton! Why, Hall! You always 
 call me Rena, you know you do ! The idea — 
 when we're engaged, too!" 
 
 "Are we engaged? I'm not so sure!" he 
 grumbled. 
 
 "Of course we are! Didn't you under- 
 stand my answer. Hall? Why, I said 'yes' 
 distinctly! How stupid you are! Why, I'm 
 crazy about you! Really I am!" 
 
 "Well, / ought to be crazy by this time, 
 but I'm not! By jove, I didn't think a woman 
 could — well, a woman will do anything to 
 get what she wants, then, won't she? She'll 
 pay any price, and suffer any indignity! 
 Good lord, haven't you any pride, Rena, for 
 heaven's sake? Haven't you any sense of 
 shame? Tell me; is there anything you 
 wouldn't do for money, Rena Royalton? 
 Let's have it!" 
 
 307 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Why, Hall, dear!" she replied, with big 
 innocent eyes, "I don't know what in the 
 world you're talking about; but I'll tell you 
 one thing that I wouldn't do — I wouldn't 
 give you up for all the money in the world!" 
 
 "Well, can you beat it!" he gasped, ad- 
 dressing a Spanish chair. 
 
 "Ah, Hall," she continued, "when I once 
 consent, I go fast. Really, I'd like to be 
 married to you this very night, if you only 
 had a marriage license." 
 
 "A what?" he cried, thunderstruck. 
 
 "A marriage license, you know. Of course 
 that's always necessary before " 
 
 "By jiminy Christmas!" he thundered, 
 staring in front of him. Rena was forgotten, 
 everything was forgotten except that, through 
 his stupidity all, now, was lost. A marriage 
 license! Not once had it occurred to him — 
 the whole sublime comedy had been played 
 out in vain. The four millions — Jonas Has- 
 singbury had won, after all! 
 
 He gave another look at the clock. It was 
 four minutes to twelve. Without another 
 308 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY. 
 
 word he stalked impetuously out of the room. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton, smiling, self-satisfied, stood 
 for a moment in triumph. Her eyes were 
 suddenly attracted by a shining object upon 
 the rug, and crossing toward it, she saw 
 a ruby ring. Puzzled at its presence there, 
 she stooped and picked it up, examined it 
 carefully, frowning, and then slowly placed 
 it upon her finger. As she did so, Carolyn 
 Dallys burst into the room. Mrs. Royalton 
 hastily turned the ruby inside and dropped 
 her hand carelessly. 
 
 Carolyn came up to her, very eager. "Well, 
 did you see Hall?" Mrs. Royalton nodded, 
 smiling. 
 
 "What happened?" 
 
 "Oh, we had a little talk." 
 
 "Well — did you give him an answer?" 
 
 Mrs. Royalton nodded again. 
 
 "Did you say 'no'?" 
 
 "Why! Didn't I say I would?" 
 
 For a moment Carolyn gazed at her, as 
 if trying to penetrate her mind. She seemed 
 as yet unconvinced. "You refused him, Rena?" 
 309 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Certainly!" Mrs. Royalton tossed her 
 head. 
 
 Still Carolyn seemed incredulous. "Well, 
 how did he take it?" 
 
 "Oh, poor Hall! He was all broken up. 
 I'm afraid it hit him pretty hard, Carolyn." 
 
 It was Carolyn's turn to toss her head. 
 "Oh, I guess he'll get over it all right." She 
 came back to the attack. "What did you 
 say? How did you put it, you know? You 
 know what I mean!" 
 
 "Oh, of course I made it as easy as I 
 could naturally. I told him — well " 
 
 "Told him what?" 
 
 "Oh, well, I told him — oh, the usual thing, 
 you know." 
 
 "No, I don't. What is the usual thing, 
 Rena?" 
 
 "Oh, I said I liked him, of course, but I 
 couldn't think of marrying him, and all that 
 — ^he took on. awfully, really, Carolyn; he 
 begged me to have him, and said his life 
 would be ruined and all that rubbish — ^you 
 know, the way they always do." 
 310 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Said his life would be ruined, eh? What 
 nonsense ! You didn't say anything about — 
 about me, or Rosamund Gale, did you? I 
 mean about why you refused him, really?" 
 
 "Oh, no!" Mrs. Royalton's tone was, for 
 the first time, clear and honest. 
 
 Carolyn seemed to catch something in it 
 that sent her thinking. She returned to the 
 interrogation. "He didn't say anything, 
 either, did he? I mean about me?" 
 
 "Why, no! Why should he?" Mrs. Roy- 
 alton now took her turn. "What did you 
 say to him, Carolyn?" 
 
 Carolyn smiled. "Oh, we had a nice little 
 time — no fuss, no hysterics at all. It was 
 really very amusing." 
 
 "And you refused him?" 
 
 "Why, naturally! Why should you ask 
 that? Didn't I promise to?" 
 
 "Well, did you?" 
 
 "I told you I did ! I didn't make any bones 
 about it at all. I threw him down good and 
 hard, Rena, you trust me! I'm afraid Hall's 
 awfully sore!" 
 
 311 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Did he seem — well, how did he take it, 
 Carolyn?" 
 
 "Oh, of course we pretended it was all a 
 joke, you know. I wouldn't permit him to 
 make a scene, but all the same I could see 
 that underneath it all he was pretty badly 
 broken up." 
 
 "Well, he didn't show it much when he 
 came to me, then. He seemed quite hopeful." 
 
 "Oh, no, I suppose not. Hall's game, all 
 right. I suppose he was thinking of getting 
 his four millions." 
 
 "Four millions! It is a lot of money to 
 refuse, isn't it, Carolyn?" 
 
 "Yes," said Carolyn thoughtfully. "It 
 certainly is a lot of money." 
 
 "Still, a promise is a promise!" 
 
 "Yes, we women have to stand by one an- 
 other." 
 
 "I'm glad you did, Carolyn. D'you know, 
 I must confess that I was almost afraid you 
 wouldn't have the nerve." 
 
 "Thank you. I'm glad you kept your 
 word, too. It's a great relief, Rena!" 
 312 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Four millions!" There was an exultant 
 ring in Mrs. Royalton's voice. She then 
 looked at Carolyn suspiciously. "You don't 
 seem to regret it much, Carolyn!" 
 
 "Oh, no. I'm perfectly satisfied," said 
 Carolyn. 
 
 At this moment there was a peal of laugh- 
 ter outside the door, and a gay voice ending 
 a passage of affected persiflage. Rosamund 
 sailed swishing into the room. She held her 
 head up proudly, she seemed immensely 
 superior as she gazed about, triumphant. 
 
 The two women sprang at her. "Well?" 
 they chorused. 
 
 "Well, what?" Rosamund asked insolent- 
 ly, looking them over. 
 
 "What did you say to Hall Bonistelle?" 
 exclaimed Carolyn. 
 
 "Did you refuse him?" Mrs. Royalton 
 chimed in. 
 
 Rosamund waited a moment, proudly super- 
 ior. Then she answered calmly, "No, I ac- 
 cepted him." 
 
 "You accepted him!" the two broke out. 
 313 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Yes, I did. You see, it was this way " 
 
 "D'you mean to say you went back on 
 your promise?" Carolyn demanded, furious. 
 
 "Why, I don't see how you have the face 
 to say it!" from Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Well, if you don't care to hear about it, 
 never mind." Rosamund started to leave. 
 
 Mrs. Royalton caught her by the arm. 
 "Are you fooling. Miss Gale, or what do you 
 mean? You promised " 
 
 "Oh, pshaw!" Rosamund answered. 
 "What's a promise? Why, I found out that 
 Hall felt a good deal different from what I 
 had ever thought. Why, he's a dear, really, 
 and he never cared a snap for you two " 
 
 "Oh, didn't he!" cried Carolyn. 
 
 "Why, the fact is, I didn't have the heart 
 to reject him, really I didn't. I saw that 
 there was some misunderstanding somewhere, 
 and we had got it all wrong. Hall's simply 
 crazy about me, and it was perfectly absurd 
 to let our talk stand in the way of my hap- 
 piness — and his, that's all!" 
 
 "Oh, so Hall's crazy about you, is he?" 
 Carolyn was sarcastic. 
 314 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "And do you mean to say you said yes?" 
 cried Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Certainly I did. Hall Bonistelle and I 
 are formally engaged, now, and we're going 
 to be married " 
 
 "That's about all you know," cried Caro- 
 lyn, now beside herself. "Hall Bonistelle is 
 engaged to me!" 
 
 "To you!" Mrs. Royalton faced her like 
 a fury. "Why, you said you refused him! 
 What in the world do you mean, Carolyn?" 
 
 "She must be crazy!" said Rosamund 
 fiercely. 
 
 "Oh, I know I told you that, Rena, but 
 you see, well, we had decided to keep our 
 engagement secret for a while." 
 
 Mrs. Royalton gasped. Rosamund raved: 
 "It's no such a thing! It can't be!" 
 
 "Then you lied to me, Carolyn?" Mrs. 
 Royalton asked frigidly. 
 
 "Well, I couldn't violate a confidence, 
 could I?" 
 
 "It's a lie, that's all there is about that!" 
 Rosamund exclaimed. "It's perfectly absurd 
 on the face of it. I guess I ought to know !" 
 315 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, you don't have to beheve it, but it's 
 a fact, nevertheless," said Carolyn to Rosa- 
 mund; and then turning to Mrs. Royalton, 
 she added: "You see, Rena, Hall explained 
 it all to me, and I couldn't really blame him 
 for the way he's acted. He was in an awful 
 mess, and had led you and Miss Gale to 
 imgaine things that he couldn't get out of, 
 very well. So, as long as I was the one he 
 really wanted, you know, I thought " 
 
 "You were the one he wanted!" Mrs. 
 Royalton exclaimed. "Well, then, I'd like to 
 know what you think of that!" And she 
 thrust her hand with the ruby ring into Car- 
 olyn's face. 
 
 Rosamund turned white. "What is it?" 
 she stammered. 
 
 "It's an engagement ring, of course," said 
 Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Rena Royalton," cried Carolyn, "do you 
 mean to say that you have gone behind my 
 back and broken your promised word?" 
 
 Rosamund took it up. "You know you 
 said you'd refuse him!" 
 316 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Well," said Mrs. Royalton, "I can't help 
 it, but I am engaged to Hall Bonistelle. You 
 two girls must have made some big mistake, 
 in some way; I don't understand it at all. 
 But you can see for yourself — there's the 
 ring!" 
 
 Carolyn looked at her coldly. "Rena Roy- 
 alton, you have lied to me! Well, what can 
 you expect from a woman, anyway?" 
 
 "Yes," Rosamund added, "the minute your 
 back is turned, and they'll stab you in the 
 back, every time!" 
 
 "Why, I had no idea of breaking my word, 
 Carolyn, you know I would never do such a 
 thing as that. It would be utterly unlike me. 
 I've always prided myself on my loyalty. 
 But, you see, when it's a case of a man's 
 happiness at stake, his whole life — why, I 
 simply had to sacrifice myself. I'm too gen- 
 erous, I suppose, but I simply had to do it!" 
 
 Carolyn gave a harsh laugh. "Wtll, then 
 
 we are all three of us engaged to him, it 
 
 seems. We'll have to draw lots for him. 
 
 Or else stand in a row and let him choose." 
 
 317 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Well, I know one thing," said Rgsamund, 
 "/ don't intend to release him!" 
 
 "Neither do I," agreed Mrs. Royalton. 
 
 "Well, I don't mind a fight myself," Car- 
 olyn acknowledged, "when it's a question of 
 four miUions of dollars!" 
 
 "Hush!" cried Mrs. Royalton suddenly, 
 "here comes somebody!" * 
 
 The three grew immediately silent, watch- 
 ing the door. Mr. Doremus, freed from his 
 nymphs, was walking in with Jonas Hassing- 
 bury, talking. Both were in high good 
 humor, the attorney because of his pleasant 
 social success, the Branford farmer because 
 of the growing probability of his good for- 
 tune. They stood for a moment, looking 
 about the studio, and then Mr. Doremus 
 pointed to the clock. 
 
 "My word, Hassingbury, look at that! It's 
 after twelve o'clock already!" He extended 
 his hand ceremoniously. "Permit me to con- 
 gratulate you, sir, upon your accession to the 
 Bonistelle fortune! It is my practise, as you 
 know, never to take sides. Er — that is, I 
 318 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY^ 
 
 seldom permit myself such partizanship. So 
 long, however, as fate has decided in your 
 favor, I take pleasure in knowing that you 
 are now the possessor of four million dol- 
 lars!" 
 
 "What's he talking about?" Rosamund 
 whispered wildly. 
 
 "Why, it can't be — " Carolyn began, but 
 she was interrupted by the close of the 
 lawyer's speech. 
 
 "It is, of course, to be regretted that one 
 of you must inevitably lose, according to 
 Bonistelle's will, and I am profoundly sorry 
 for Mr. Hall Bonistelle, our host, who natur- 
 ally will be disappointed." 
 
 Jonas Hassingbury, meanwhile, had taken 
 out his watch, and was comparing it with 
 the clock. "Er — of course — what's that 
 you're saying?" he asked, a little confused. 
 "Oh, Hall! Yes, yes, of course it is hard on 
 Hall if I get the money — ^but then," and he 
 straightened up and returned the watch to 
 his pocket — "he'd only throw it away on some 
 woman, and I'll put it to good use. It's far 
 319 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 better, after all, that I should have it." He 
 turned uneasily, to leave. It seemed strange 
 that he was no more excited or exultant. 
 
 The three listening women turned silently 
 to one another, each with a look of amaze- 
 ment. 
 
 "Why, it can't be! What do they mean?" 
 Mrs. Royalton exclaimed. "Oh, Mr. Dore- 
 mus, just wait a moment, please." He 
 was about to follow Jonas, when Carolyn 
 darted to him and caught him by his 
 coat. 
 
 "Mr. Doremus!" she ejaculated, "tell me, 
 what were you talking about? You don't 
 mean " 
 
 "I don't mean what. Miss Dallys?" 
 
 "Why, I heard something about Hall's 
 losing money — ^his uncle's will, you know — 
 that was a mistake, wasn't it?" 
 
 "How a mistake, Miss Dallys? I wasn't 
 aware that you were interested in the sub- 
 ject, and hardly know to what you refer." 
 
 "Why, it was all in the papers this after- 
 noon, wasn't it? Everybody knows about it!" 
 320 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Ah," said the lawyer, "I would advise you 
 not to put too much faith in the papers. Miss 
 Dallys." 
 
 "But it said that Hall would get his uncle's 
 money " 
 
 Rosamund, who had joined her, broke in, 
 — "If he was married on or before his twenty- 
 eighth birthday " 
 
 Mrs. Royalton was also in it, excitedly — 
 "And he's twenty-eight to-morrow — no, it's 
 to-day!" 
 
 Mr. Doremus stood, with his hands behind 
 his back, watching them impassively. "Ah, 
 my dear ladies, that just shows how little one 
 can depend upon the daily press. 'On and 
 after,' reporters love such expressions. They 
 positively seem to think that no document is 
 complete without that particular term " 
 
 "But isn't it 'on or before' ?" they demanded. 
 
 "Not at all! Not at all. The phrase is, 
 to the best of my recollection, 'before he has 
 attained his twenty-eighth birthday.' In the 
 interpretation of the law, one's birthday be- 
 gins at midnight preceding such date, Mr. 
 321 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Bonistelle's chances for inheriting, therefore, 
 lapse at twelve o'clock." 
 
 One and all turned to gaze at the clock. 
 "And now, it's ten minutes past!" cried Car- 
 olyn. 
 
 "So it seems!" said Mr. Doremus. "And 
 now, ladies, is there anything else I can do 
 for you? If not, I must rejoin Mr. Has- 
 singbury and discuss his legal arrangements." 
 With a low bow he passed at once out of 
 the room. 
 
 For a moment, the three ladies, nonplused, 
 were dumb. Then, slowly, Rosamund 
 turned to Carolyn, all her rancor gone. 
 "Well," she said, "don't that beat anything 
 you ever heard in your life?" 
 
 It was evident by Carolyn's ironic smile 
 that she considered the remark inadequate, 
 but even she could do no better. Mrs. Royal- 
 ton was more effective. She burst into tears. 
 
 Rosamund began to storm. "Why, it's 
 no better than stealing! That's the only word 
 for it!" 
 
 "Lord, don't be a fool," said Carolyn 
 finally, "we got the wrong tip, that's all. But 
 322 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 I seem to see, now, why Mr. Hall was in so 
 much of a hurry." 
 
 "But how could he have expected to marry 
 anybody?" Mrs. Royalton wailed. "He didn't 
 have any license!" 
 
 "Well, he is an ass, isn't he!" Carolyn 
 declared contemptuously. 
 
 "I always thought he was a fool," was 
 Rosamund's contribution. "I never would 
 have had anything to do with him, if it 
 hadn't been for " 
 
 "Never mind," said Carolyn. "We know! 
 The question is, what are you going to do 
 about it now!" 
 
 "I'm going home!" wailed Mrs. Royalton, 
 dabbling her eyes. 
 
 "I'm not, till I give him a piece of my 
 mind!" cried Rosamund. 
 
 "Yes, sir!" said Carolyn. "I'll give you 
 a hand at that, I'll tell him what I think of 
 him, you see!" 
 
 "Well, I wish ma was here," said Rosa- 
 mund viciously; "she'd fix him! Why, I 
 promised her to-night at supper that Hall and 
 I'd take her to Europe!" 
 323 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Hush! Wait a minute!" Carolyn whis- 
 pered. "Is that he out in the office, there, 
 with Miss Fisher? You wait here, girls, I'm 
 going to call him in!" Leaving them, she 
 walked quietly to the door. 
 
 "Hall! Oh, Hall!" she called sweetly. 
 She smiled as if upon an angel. "Come in 
 here a minute, will you? I've got a little 
 surprise for you!" She darted bacli, and took 
 her place with the others, three in a line. 
 
 He came in smiling, saw the three out- 
 raged ladies, and stopped, with an embar- 
 rassed grin. "What is it?" he managed to 
 say. 
 
 "Yes, what is it! That's what we want 
 to know!" Rosamund ejaculated. 
 
 "See here. Hall Bonistelle," Carolyn be- 
 gan, in a sharp metallic voice, "have you any 
 explanation to make of the way you've treated 
 us?" 
 
 "Explanation!" Rosamund interrupted sav- 
 agely, "I'll explain. He's a scoundrel!" 
 
 "Oh, Hall, Hall, you've broken my heart !" 
 Mrs. Royalton wept again. 
 324 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Hush up, Rena. You let me talk, Miss 
 Gale, will you? I'd like to hear just what 
 this particular sort of cur can find to say; 
 for himself!" 
 
 "Guilty!" said Hall, seeing the useless- 
 ness of protest. "Now go ahead!" 
 
 "Have you got any face to stand there and! 
 calmly acknowledge — " Carolyn broke in, 
 "You deliberately deceived us, then — all 
 three!" 
 
 "Just exactly as you deceived one another!" 
 he could not resist adding. 
 
 At that, all three broke loose together, and, 
 for the next five minutes. Hall Bonistelle 
 faced the music. It was not only useless, but 
 impossible, to answer them. Hall stood, with 
 his arms folded, bowing and smiling sardon- 
 ically. 
 
 The stiletto was Carolyn's weapon, but 
 for Rosamund, the bludgeon. "Aha, little 
 Jack-the-Lady-Killer, are you? Three at a 
 shot, eh!" sang in between "You're a cad. 
 Hall Bonistelle, you're a liar and a cheat!" 
 Poor Rena could but feebly pinch him with 
 325 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 reproaches; she was dissolved in her woe. 
 So it went, spitting, pounding and blubber- 
 ing — he ought to be horsewhipped, some 
 one's father or somebody's brother should 
 thrash him ! It was an outrage and a disgrace. 
 What if they called in the company to publish 
 his rascality? They were glad, glad, glad 
 he had lost his money; it was good enough 
 for him! 
 
 It was then that Hall saw a great light. He 
 gave a laugh that stilled them. 
 
 "Oho! The money! So that's why you 
 were all suddenly so keen to marry me, was 
 it! Well, I'll be damned. Why, I don't see 
 how you women have the nerve to look me 
 in the face! Why, a woman will do anything 
 for money, then, will she? She'll cheat, and 
 lie and cut her best friend's throat behind 
 her back — by jove, you're the coldest-blooded 
 set of female vampires I ever saw in my life ! 
 It's a revelation to me! So that's all you 
 wanted, eh? That's why you all hung fire 
 this morning, and got me into this con- 
 founded mess — oh, you wanted time! Yes, 
 326 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 time to investigate my finances, of course — 
 and then, when you do get wind of this 
 devilish old legacy, then you're all after me 
 on the gallop, like a pack of Siberian wolves! 
 — falling over one another to see who can get 
 to the telephone first! Well, thank God I 
 found it out in time! Thank God I'm free 
 of all three of you, you lying, back-biting, 
 mercenary, two-faced hypocrites! Well, it's 
 all over, now. I advise you to train your 
 guns on cousin Jonas!" 
 
 There was a disagreeable pause. When 
 the pot calls the kettle black it is uncom- 
 fortable for both. Then the three women, 
 their rage and disappointment still unap- 
 peased, swept out of the studio and left him 
 alone. Rosamund went out, surly and lower- 
 ing, Carolyn sarcastic to the last, with a bit- 
 ter smile upon her lips, Mrs. Royalton ab- 
 jectly weeping, hurling her faint reproaches 
 with a lessening might. She turned at the 
 door to pull the ruby ring from her hand, 
 and, with all of Flodie's abandon, if with 
 less of Flodie's justification, tossed it at him. 
 327 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 He drew a long breath, and dropped in- 
 to a chair. It had been a very bad five min- 
 utes; it was a rehef to have it over. What 
 next? The music still continued, but it 
 would soon be time for his guests to be leav- 
 ing. He knew he ought to go out into the 
 other rooms and play the host, — ^but he could 
 not. It was impossible for him to see again 
 the three ladies who must just now be mak- 
 ing their scornful exit. As soon as they were 
 out of the way, he would do his best with 
 the others. 
 
 He knelt down on the floor and began to 
 search for the ring. 
 
 "Are you in here, Mr. Bonistelle?" came 
 Flodie's gentle voice at the door. 
 
 He jumped up and faced her. "Yes, 
 Flodie." 
 
 She came in timidly and gave a glance 
 at the clock. "Yes, it's all over; the money's 
 gone!" he said calmly. "Have they left yet?" 
 
 She nodded, smiling. "They're all mak- 
 ing up to Jonas with all their might. By 
 the way they talked, you must have had a 
 328 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 pretty lively time with them." Flodie sat 
 down demurely. 
 
 "I should say so, Flodie! Three ladies 
 have told me to-night rather explicitly that 
 I'm a cad. What d'you think?" 
 
 "You're not!" she cried. Flodie sat up 
 indignantly, her eyes blazing. 
 
 He gave her a quick surprised look, and 
 his face lighted with hope. It was the first 
 time their eyes had met in perfect accord. 
 It was the first real thrill. 
 
 "You don't think so, really, Flodie?" How 
 his voice softened! 
 
 "Of course you're not!" How her hazel 
 eyes shone ! 
 
 "Then — " he hardly dared to say it, — 
 "have you forgiven me, Flo?" 
 
 "Have you forgiven me?" 
 
 "You! For what?" It was evident that 
 she need not fear him. 
 
 Flodie cast down her eyes a moment, then 
 raised them boldly. "For pretending." 
 
 "Pretending what?" 
 
 "Pretending that I didn't care." Flodie, 
 329 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 suddenly embarrassed, jumped up and walked 
 away from him. Hall made a leap for her. 
 He caught her in his arms. 
 
 "Oh, do you care, Flodie? Do you? Do 
 you? Even after all this?" 
 
 "All what?" 
 
 "Why, all this fuss with those women, 
 you know." 
 
 "Oh," she said, smiling sagely, "I rather 
 expected all that! I'm not surprised at all!" 
 
 "Well, then, are you surprised at this?" 
 He kissed her ardently full on the lips. 
 
 Flodie extricated herself from his grasp. 
 "Isn't it — of course it's very nice. Hall — it's 
 awfully nice — ^but isn't it — just a little — 
 well, premature?" She brought it out timid- 
 ly, but her face showed her rapture. 
 
 He dropped his arms and stood, suddenly 
 disconcerted, then laughed nervously. "Why, 
 surely you ought to believe me now, Flodie! 
 I'm right back to where I was this morning 
 — no fortune, no prospects — just working 
 for my living, and quite head over heels in 
 debt." 
 
 Flodie giggled blissfully, "Do you want 
 330 
 
"Do you want your eggs boiled two minutes or tliree?" 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 your eggs boiled two minutes, this morning, 
 Mr. Bonistelle, or three?" 
 
 He smiled and shook his head. "Yes, it's 
 all over — I'll have no millions to offer you, 
 after all, Flodie. I'm just a poor devil of a 
 photographer. Don't you believe me now?" 
 he repeated anxiously. 
 
 Flodie was trembling. "Believe what. 
 Hall?" She hung her head. "You haven't 
 said it, yet!" 
 
 "Why, you little goose, believe that I love 
 you, of course! You know now it's not the 
 money I'm after — don't you — it's only you!" 
 
 "Oh, dear, yes, I know that, now. Hall. 
 I've made sure of that! But I wanted to 
 hear you say it." 
 
 "Why, Flodie, of course I love you. I'm 
 intoxicated with it — I can't begin to tell you 
 all I feel, dear — there isn't time. Some one 
 may come in here at any minute. But I 
 can't wait till the people go — I must know, 
 this minute, whether I'm to be happy or not 
 for all the rest of my hfe!" 
 
 She lifted her head, smiling roguishly. "Is 
 that all?" 
 
 331 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "All! Good lord, isn't that enough? I'm 
 crazy for you ! I've simply got to have you !" 
 
 "But you haven't— Hall! Why! why 
 don't you — oh, dear !" She dropped her head 
 again, and sat down, her face in her hands. 
 
 For a moment he stood looking at her, 
 puzzled, then a broad grin spread over his 
 face. "Oh!" he cried. "Well I guess! Is 
 that it!" Jubilant, now, he approached her 
 with playful mock-romantic airs, knelt and 
 put his arms around her. "Will you marry 
 me, Flodie?" 
 
 Flodie inexplicably burst into tears. Hall 
 was alarmed, but he managed to keep his wits 
 about him. "Quick, Flodie, for heaven's 
 sake! There's somebody coming! Will you?" 
 
 Like a flash she lifted her head, her face 
 still dripping tears. "That's the idea! Now 
 there's some style about that! The answer 
 is 'Yes!' " she exclaimed, and burst into laugh- 
 ter almost hysterically. Then she turned 
 and gave a glance at the clock. 
 
 "Thank God!" said Hall fervently. "Flo- 
 die, isn't it great to be in love — really in 
 332 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 love?" He hugged her tight. "Flodie, you're 
 going to be my wife, did you know it? My 
 wife, Flodie! You're going to be Mrs. Hall 
 C. Bonistelle ! I'm going to marry you up as 
 quick as ever I can — before I lose you again!" 
 
 "Oh, you'll never lose me, Hall, never, 
 never, never!" She paused and added arch- 
 ly, "And I'm awfully sorry now I threw 
 away that ring!" 
 
 "Jove, I forgot the ring! Of course." He 
 fished it out of his pocket, and looked at 
 her queerly. 
 
 "Why, you didn't throw it away, did you? 
 — it was " 
 
 "Of course I did. Don't you remember? 
 Now put it on. There! I'm so glad you 
 didn't get a diamond!" 
 
 "By jove, Flodie," Hall jumped up ecstat- 
 ically, holding another ring in his hand — a 
 plain gold band. "Here's the other one. 
 Say, now we've got those women out of the 
 way, and you've said 'yes' — lord, I feel like 
 celebrating. Say! let's get married to-night! 
 What d'you say?" 
 
 333 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 She sat up excitedly. "Oh, Hall, let's! 
 Right away!" 
 
 "By Jupiter, we will !" he exclaimed. Then 
 suddenly the smile on his face faded, and 
 he gave a gesture of dismay. "Oh, lord!" 
 he exclaimed disappointedly. 
 
 "What, Hall?" 
 
 "No use, Flodie, we can't do it!" 
 
 "Why not. Hall? Can't Mr. Doremus 
 marry us? He's a justice of the peace. 
 Didn't he say he'd marry you if you wanted?" 
 
 "Oh, it isn't that — damn it all, I'm such 
 a fool I forgot all about the license! You 
 can't be married without a marriage license, 
 you know. I ought to have thought of it 
 this afternoon. But I don't know as it would 
 have done any good if I had, after all. Both 
 the bride and the bridegroom have to go to 
 the city hall, and sign the application." Hall 
 took a petulant turn up and down the room, 
 scowling. "Confound it, it's a shame! Just 
 my luck! We'll have to wait till to-morrow, 
 Flodie." 
 
 Flodie suddenly disengaged herself from 
 334 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 his arms. "You wait a minute." She ran 
 to the door, looked into the office and called 
 "Alfred!" In another minute she was joined 
 by the janitor. Hall waited in perplexity 
 and wonder. 
 
 Alfred's apron was removed, he shone in 
 the full glory of his evening suit, still spot- 
 less. Alfred was pale — pale as a ghost, and 
 his eyes were big and sad. His lips were 
 working nervously, as if he were repeating 
 something to himself. Flodie, her hand in 
 his arm, walked him down to Hall Bonistelle. 
 
 "Now, Alfred," she said encouragingly, 
 "you tell Mr. Bonistelle what we did this 
 afternoon." 
 
 "Alfred!" exclaimed Hall, "what has he 
 got to do with it?" 
 
 "I hope you won't be offended, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle," Alfred began timidly, clasping his 
 hands tightly in front of him, "it was a great 
 liberty to take, I know, but Miss Fisher asked 
 me to and I knew it would be all right. And 
 if it hadn't been all right, Mr. Bonistelle, I'd 
 a-done it just the same, if Miss Fisher asked 
 335 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 me to, Mr. Bonistelle ! I told her I would and 
 I did. I asked her would she ask me some- 
 thing hard to do, Mr. Bonistelle, something 
 no matter how hard it was, and the harder 
 it was the better, Mr. Bonistelle, but it was 
 hard, and they couldn't be nothing harder, 
 Mr. Bonistelle, and yet the harder it was the 
 harder I wanted to do it for her, Mr. Bon- 
 istelle, but I didn't believe that nothing could 
 be so hard as what she asked me, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle, and it was the hardest thing that she 
 could ask!" 
 
 "Flodie, can you translate?" Hall asked, 
 puzzled. 
 
 Flodie laid an affectionate hand on poor 
 Alfred's shoulder. "It simply means that 
 Alfred's true blue," she replied soberly. "He 
 has the loyalty of a dog. It was awful of 
 me to do it, though. I don't know what 
 you'll think of me, Hall. But you haven't 
 told him, yet, Alfred. Go on! And do 
 hurry, please!" 
 
 "Well, she asked me to go down to the city 
 hall with her, for to get a marriage license. 
 336 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 This afternoon, it was, and you know what 
 I thought. Why shouldn't I think it, Mr. 
 Bonistelle, when I had proposed to her just 
 before, even if she refused me? I thought 
 she had changed her mind, Mr. Bonistelle, 
 and I was feelin' grand to think she'd be 
 marryin' me. So we went down to the city 
 hall." Alfred paused to wipe a tear from a 
 corner of his eye. "I was feelin' pretty good, 
 Mr. Bonistelle; you know how it is yourself. 
 Well, we went up to the desk and we got a 
 application — a printed paper it was tellin' 
 all about what we was, and how old, like, and 
 we sat down to a table and Miss Fisher, here, 
 she took a pen and ink." 
 
 "Hurry, Alfred, hurry!" cried Flodie im- 
 patiently. 
 
 "Well she went to work and wrote 'yesses' 
 and 'noes' on the lines where it said was I 
 a American and was she a American and had 
 we been married before and what color we 
 was, the both of us. And then she signed her 
 name. Miss Fisher did, and she handed me 
 the pen." Suddenly Alfred turned his head, 
 337 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 and busied himself for a moment with his 
 handkerchief. He returned to his narrative 
 almost choking. "I was just a-goin' to sign 
 Alfred J. Smallish; that's my name and what 
 I always sign it, when she says to me. Miss 
 Fisher did, 'You write down this here name 
 what I tell you: Hall Cutler Bonistelle' she 
 says. 'You asked me to ask you to do some- 
 thing hard for me, for to prove your love for 
 me,' she says, and indeed I did, Mr. Bonis- 
 telle — and so I signed the paper, and we had 
 it swore to." • 
 
 "Well, give him the paper, Alfred! Do 
 hurry!" Flodie cried anxiously. 
 
 But Alfred went on deliberately. "I didn't 
 think she could give me as hard a thing as 
 that, Mr. Bonistelle, but I done it and I done 
 it gladly and she's a-welcome and " 
 
 "For heaven's sake!" Hall gasped. "Here 
 give me that license!" 
 
 Alfred drew from his pocket the document, 
 and handed it over to Hall. 
 
 Flodie bent over it. "You see, Alfred had 
 to pretend he was you, that's all. He's the 
 
 Same color, you know " 
 
 338 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Hall looked up at Alfred, and smiled. 
 
 "Well, I mean he's white" Flodie explained 
 anxiously. 
 
 "Yes, he certainly is rather white," Hall re- 
 marked and turned again to look at the 
 document. 
 
 "Of course we did have to lie a little, that 
 is, Alfred did — about your father and mother, 
 you know. I didn't know what their names 
 were, so we had to call them John and Mary — 
 you don't mind, do you?" 
 
 "Not at all." 
 
 "And you haven't any former wives, have 
 you, living or dead?" 
 
 "Not one!" Hall was emphatic. 
 
 "Then it's a perfectly good license, and it 
 fits you and there's your name and everything, 
 and mine, too. You don't mind, do you. Hall, 
 dear?" Flodie began to blush violently, and 
 was very confused. "You see, I kind of 
 thought you were going to ask me, I sort of 
 felt it coming, and I knew you'd be too stupid 
 to get one yourself!" 
 
 "Flodie — Fisher — Bonistelle !" he exclaimed, 
 and threw up his hands, "you certainly are 
 339 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 a business woman! I don't see what chance 
 I'll have after we're married! But I'm per- 
 fectly willing to let you manage me, Flo. I 
 certainly have botched things whenever I've 
 tried to run them myself." 
 
 He turned to Alfred, who stood, looking at 
 his shoes. "And you committed perjury, Al- 
 fred, just for my sake?" 
 
 Alfred drew himself up proudly. "Not at 
 all, Mr. Bonistelle. It was for Miss Fisher I 
 done it!" 
 
 "Then you did it for me. fey jove, Alfred, 
 let me shake your hand. A man can't be 
 thanked for a service like that, and he can't 
 be rewarded; but if there's anything I can do" 
 for you, you name it!" 
 
 "There's only the one thing I want now, 
 Mr. Bonistelle. Would you leave me be your 
 best man at the weddin'? There was once 
 when I hoped I could be the bridegroom my- 
 self, Mr. Bonistelle, but I see now that was 
 foolish. But it would be a satisfaction to see 
 the last of Miss Fisher, if you don't mind." 
 
 Hall, laughing, slapped him on the back. 
 340 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Sure, Alfred ! You can be the chief mourner, 
 Alfred — that is, if this license is all right. 
 Let's call in Doremus; he'll tell us." He 
 started for the door, but Flodie had already- 
 beckoned to the attorney, who now came in 
 with her. 
 
 "Well, we're going to have a ceremony, 
 after all !" said Hall. "I'm going to take you 
 at your word and let you marry me." 
 
 Flodie interrupted his reply. "What is the 
 shortest possible way you can do it, and have 
 it legal, Mr. Doremus?" she asked, nudging 
 him anxiously. 
 
 "Oh, I'll fix that," said the lawyer. "It 
 won't take two minutes. 
 
 "What's goin' on?" came a harsh voice at 
 the door. Jonas Hassingbury was looking in. 
 
 "Come in, Jonas, come in and be 'among 
 those present?' It's my merry marriage 
 morn!" cried Hall gaily. 
 
 Flodie whispered to Alfred. "Run, Alfred, 
 bring everybody in, quick!" 
 
 Alfred disappeared into the office and could 
 be heard announcing the invitation. 
 341 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Jonas, however, had begun to bristle. He 
 strode up to his cousin belligerently. "Why, it 
 ain't no use to git married now, Hall, you 
 know that! Don't be foolish!" 
 
 "Hurry, Mr. Doremus, hurry!" Flodie was 
 growing frantic. She pointed to the clock. 
 It indicated twenty-eight minutes past twelve. 
 
 Hall, however, was in no haste. "Oh, I 
 know, Jonas; but you see Flodie and I have 
 decided to lose no more time. You can give 
 her away, if you want to." He sat down, 
 laughing at his cousin's consternation. 
 
 "But it's past twelve !" Jonas insisted, point- 
 ing to the clock. 
 
 "Oh, I know that! That proves it's a love 
 match, doesn't it?" 
 
 "Come here. Hall, and stand up by me! 
 Any one would think you didn't want to get 
 married!" Flodie called nervously. 
 
 By this time the company had begun to 
 enter, and soon flooded the studio, laughing, 
 wondering, joking with Hall. 
 
 "Go ahead!" cried Flodie. "We're ready, 
 Mr. Doremus! quick!" She stamped her foot 
 angrily. 
 
 342 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, wait a minute," Hall interposed, "we 
 want this thing arranged a little. It won't do 
 to rush it." He turned to his guests. "Ladies 
 and gentlemen," he began, when Jonas broke 
 in again. 
 
 "See here, I object to this !" He walked up 
 to Mr. Doremus angrily. 
 
 Mr. Doremus, however, had already begun 
 to thunder out, "Hall Bonistelle, do you take 
 this woman Flodie Fisher to be your wedded 
 wife?" 
 
 "Just wait a minute!" cried Jonas, looking 
 at his watch. 
 
 "We're oiif!" came in a chorus from the 
 excited guests. 
 
 "I do!" replied Hall. "See here, Jonas, you 
 mustn't interrupt the game, you know. Sit 
 down and be quiet!" 
 
 "But I got something to say about it " 
 
 "Flodie Fisher do you take — ^be quiet, Mr. 
 Hassingbury, I'm running this " 
 
 "It's a scheme! It's a fraud!" Jonas ap- 
 pealed wildly to the company. 
 
 " — this man to be your lawful wedded 
 husband ?" 
 
 343 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 "Oh, you little scamp, you, you've sold me 
 out!" Jonas shook his fist at the bride and 
 was pulled furiously back by Alfred. 
 
 "I do!" Flodie screamed. "I never, Mr. 
 Hassingbury! I only promised to prevent his 
 marrying the others! I never said " 
 
 "Put on the ring! Put on the ring!" the 
 company screamed laughingly to Hall. He 
 obeyed. 
 
 "Then I pronounce you man and wife!" 
 
 "I never said I wouldn't get him myself!" 
 Flodie's words were smothered in Hall's kiss. 
 
 Immediately she was surrounded by the 
 gentlemen of the company, who passed her 
 from lip to lip, protesting, laughing, strug- 
 gling to speak. 
 
 Mr. Doremus pressed Hall's hand. "I 
 congratulate you, Mr. Bonistelle!" he cried 
 enthusiastically. 
 
 "Thank you, sir!" Hall answered. "I've 
 got a fortune in Flodie." 
 
 "I think you have ! Two !" was Mr. Dore- 
 mus' reply. "Mr. Hassingbury, would you 
 mind telling me what time it is?" 
 344 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 Jonas turned white, and started hurriedly 
 to leave without a word. Flodie, alert, caught 
 him as he turned, and snatched out his watch 
 as deftly as a pickpocket. She held it up 
 to the company. "We've won! Eleven fifty- 
 nine!" she shouted. 
 
 The company took it up, and shouted, too. 
 Watches were brought out from a dozen 
 pockets, compared and the time corroborated. 
 
 "It's a lie!" Jonas protested, "why, look 
 at the clock! It's half past twelve! He's 
 too late I tell you! The money's mine!" 
 
 "Why, that's right!" said Hall, amazed by 
 the sudden confusion. "I set that clock my- 
 self!" 
 
 "But I told you what time to set it !" Flo- 
 die fairly yelled now. "And I told you half 
 an hour ahead on purpose!" 
 
 Mr. Doremus held up his hand. "Silence!" 
 he thundered. "Mr. Hassingbury," he de- 
 clared solemnly, "there are witnesses enough 
 present to prove that Mr. Bonistelle was mar- 
 ried before midnight. As you are aware, I 
 seldom take sides in any controversy, but in 
 345 
 
LOVE IN A HURRY 
 
 this case, my little friend here, Flodie — Bonis- 
 telle — completely won me over. There's no 
 possible doubt that Mr. Bonistelle will inherit 
 his uncle's fortune." 
 
 Hall burst out of his trance with a whoop. 
 "Hurrah!" he screamed, "I've won four mil- 
 lions of dollars!" 
 
 Flodie stretched up on tiptoe and pulled 
 down his dramatically extended hand. "No, 
 sir," she announced, "I won it myself \" 
 
 THE END 
 
'8!M'