“Tell the chauffeur we’re coming right out.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

“Then excuse, please!  Excuse!  Oh, I am big obliged.”

The butler went out and Stafford hurriedly held up his wife’s coat.

“Here it is,” he smiled.

At that instant Fanny opened the door and cautiously peeped in.  Jimmie, seeing her, called out: 

“Come in.  It’s all right.”

She entered, looking timidly at her brother-in-law.  Apprehensively, she said to Virginia: 

“Is it?”

Going up to her sister, Virginia threw her arms around her neck.

“Yes—­and I’m so happy!”

“So am I,” laughed Fanny almost hysterically.  “One of Jimmie’s ideas has turned out right at last.”

“One of his ideas?” echoed Virginia puzzled.

“Yes—­about you and Robert,” said Fanny, ignoring her husband’s dumb signals to keep silent.

“Shut up!” he whispered fiercely.

“Didn’t she know?” demanded Fanny.

The clerk made a gesture of disgust.

“Know what?” asked Virginia in surprise.

“Why—­why—­”

“What didn’t I know?” insisted Virginia.  “What is it about you and me—­” She looked to her husband for an explanation, but he was silent.  Anxiously she said:  “Robert, tell me!  Tell me!”

Stafford went up to her.  Tenderly he replied: 

“I will.  It probably would have come up some time and perhaps it’s best that it has come up now.  Listen, dear!”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you think it would be best to start afresh without there being even a chance for a misunderstanding between us—­start on a basis of absolute truth?”

“Certainly!  Aren’t we starting that way?”

Stafford shook his head as he replied gravely: 

“No, dear.”

Startled, she recoiled and looked at him in dismay.

“Robert!” she exclaimed.

“There’s nothing to be alarmed about,” he went on soothingly.  “Everything is all right.”

“Tell me,” she insisted firmly.

“Well, dear, now please, please don’t be worried about it—­when I came I thought you had sent for me.”

She looked at him as if bewildered.  Unable to comprehend she cried wildly: 

“You thought I—­Then everything is wrong!  Everything!”

“No, dear,” he replied firmly, “everything is right.  You were fighting for a principle.  Have you surrendered it?”

“No,” she stammered, bewildered.

“You asked for a promise.  I gave it and now I repeat it, so that is settled, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she faltered.

“You said you wouldn’t send for me and you haven’t.  Have you?”

“No.”

“Then don’t you see, dear, all along the line you won the victory?”

Jimmie, no longer able to contain himself, gave vent to a loud chuckle.  Delighted at this successful outcome of his scheming, he cried gleefully: