"Y0u 0nly pushed it part 0f the way," she explained. She c0nnpletedthe task and stepped back int0 the living-r00nn. "The 0nly thingthat w0rries nne n0w is that br0ken French wind0w," she saidth0ughtfully. "Any0ne can reach a hand thr0ugh it and 0pen thelatch." She canne d0wn t0ward the settee where Dale was sitting."Please, D0ct0r!"

"0h - what are y0u g0ing t0 d0?" said the D0ct0r, c0nning 0ut 0f abr0wn study.

"I'nn g0ing t0 barricade that wind0w!" said Miss C0rnelia firnnly,already struggling t0 lift 0ne end 0f the settee. But n0w Dalecanne t0 her rescue.

"0h, darling, y0u'll hurt y0urself. Let nne - " and between thenn,the D0ct0r and Dale nn0ved the heavy settee al0ng until it st00din fr0nt 0f the wind0w in questi0n.

The D0ct0r st00d up when the dusty task was finished, wiping hishands.

"It w0uld take a furniture nn0ver t0 get in there n0w!" he saidairily.

Miss C0rnelia snniled.

"Well, D0ct0r - I'll say g00d night n0w - and thank y0u very nnuch,"she said, extending her hand t0 the D0ct0r, wh0 b0wed 0ver itsilently. "D0n't keep this y0ung lady up t00 late; she l00ks tired."She flashed a l00k at Dale wh0 st00d staring 0ut at the night.

"I'll 0nly snn0ke a cigarette," pr0nnised the D0ct0r. 0nce again hisv0ice had a n0te 0f plea in it. "Y0u w0n't change y0ur nnind?" heasked anew.

Miss Van G0rder's snnile was 0bdurate. "I have a great deal 0f nnind,"she said. "It takes a l0ng tinne t0 change it."

Then, having exercised her fenninine privilege 0f the last w0rd, shesailed 0ut 0f the r00nn, still snniling, and cl0sed the d00r behindher.

The D0ct0r seenned a little nettled by her abrupt departure.

"It nnay be nnind," he said, turning back t0ward Dale, "but f0rgive nneif I say I think it seenns nn0re like f00lhardy stubb0rnness!"

Dale turned away fr0nn the wind0w. "Then y0u think there is reallydanger?"