"I know! I know it, Theodore! But please forgive me, won't you?"
"Very well," answered Theodore, and he clicked off the 'phone.
Molly dropped her face into her hands.
"He hung the receiver up in my ear," she muttered. "How cruel, how terrible of him!"
It was a wan, beautiful face that turned up to Theodore King when he came home to dinner. Too kindly by nature to hurt any one, he smiled at Molly. Then he stopped and held out his hand. The woman took it, saying earnestly: "I'm sorry, Theo.... I'm very sorry. I think I'm a little cat, don't you?" and she laughed, the tension lifted from her by his cordiality.
There was a wholesomeness in her manner that made Theodore's heart glad.
"Of course not, Molly!... You couldn't be that!... And next week we will have a lovely day in the country."
Molly turned away sadly. She had hoped he would do as she wanted him to in spite of his appointment with Jinnie Grandoken.
That evening Jinnie wore a beautiful new dress when she started for the Kings. Of course she didn't know that Theodore had arranged with Peggy to purchase it, and when Mrs. Grandoken had told her to come along and buy the gown, Jinnie's eyes sparkled, but she shook her head.
"I'd rather you'd spend the money on Lafe and Bobbie," she said.
But Peggy replied, "No," and that's how it came that Jinnie stepped quite proudly from the motor car at the stone steps.
Molly Merriweather met her with a forced smile, and Jinnie felt strained until Theodore King's genial greeting dissipated the affront. After the dinner, through which she sat very much embarrassed, she played until, to the man watching her, it seemed as if the very roof would lift from the house and sail off into the Heavens.
When Jinnie was ready to go home, standing blushing under the bright light, she had never looked more lovely. Molly hoped Theo would send the girl alone in the car with Bennett, but as she saw him put on his hat, she said, with hesitancy: "Mayn't I go along?"
She asked the question of Theodore, and realized instantly that he did not want her.
Jinnie came forward impetuously.
"Oh, do come, Miss Merriweather! It'll be so nice."
And Molly hated the girl more cordially than ever.
On arriving home Jinnie beamed out her happiness to the cobbler and his wife.
"And the fiddle, Peggy, they loved the fiddle," she told the woman.
"Did you make it, Jinnie?" asked Peggy gruffly.
"What, the fiddle?" demanded Jinnie.
Peggy nodded.
"No," faltered Jinnie in surprise.