"I take for granted he tells me everything." "Ah but you scarcely take for granted _I_ do!" She rubbed her cheek an instant with the polished silver and again the next moment turned over the case.

"This is the kind of one I should like." Her companion glanced down at it.

"Why it holds twenty." "Well, I want one that holds twenty." Vanderbank only threw out his smoke.

"I want so to give you something," he said at last, "that, in my relief at lighting on an object that will do, I will, if you don't look out, give you either that or a pipe." "Do you mean this particular one ?" "I've had it for years--but even that one if you like it." She kept it--continued to finger it.

"And by whom was it given you ?" At this he turned to her smiling.