" Oh, what was the use ? " she faltered. " I'm in a
rut and if I try to get out of it, I bump into some of my
friends, and instead of trying to help me, they push me
back again." A little wearily she added, "Oh, I guess
it's no use any more.*'

Although Greenfield bad answered her in monosyllables,
she felt that she would somehow succeed in getting him
into a conyersation. Her surprise was great when she
saw him call for his check.
" Where are you going, Ben? " she asked.
" Oh, back to the rooms, I guess. I'm blue to-night."

Her face lit up and her sadness Sitted sway on the in-
stant.
" Say, I'M tell you what 111 do. I'U get rid of the
party " — she pointed to the fattish man who had been
sitting at her side — " and then I'U take a little stroll
with you. What do you sayp I am lonesome myself to-
night."

Into Greenfield's mind there chased a thought that she
was being rather clever in fitting her mood to his own.
But he reasoned that at least here was someone who knew
him, who would listen to him and keep him from thinking
about himself. And how he dreaded going back to that
room, alone — and turning on the black button of the
electric switch!

Already he could see the book he had thrown on the
floor, the cigar, half burnt, that had dropped on the rug.
" Yes, get rid of him," he said. " I'll wait fire min-
utes outside the revolving door."

When she joined him and they walked off down the
lighted street together, he was really glad of her pres-
ence.
