Platt struck his fingers on the table with a gesture ofsudden， illuminating satisfaction.
“I’ve got it！” he exclaimed， almost hilariously— “theNicholson place， over on the north side. There’s a biggrove of live oaks and a natural lake. The old house can bepulled down and the new one set further back.”
“Put out your pipe，” said Miss Asher. “I’m sorry to wakeyou up， but you fellows might as well get wise， once for all，to where you stand. I’m supposed to go to dinner with youand help jolly you along so you’ll trade with old Zizzy， butdon’t expect to find me in any of the suits you buy.”
“Do you mean to tell me，” said Platt， “that you go outthis way with customers， and they all—they all talk to youlike I have？”
“They all make plays，” said Miss Asher. “But I must saythat you’ve got ’em beat in one respect. They generallytalk diamonds， while you’ve actually dug one up.”
“How long have you been working， Helen？”
“Got my name pat， haven’t you？ I’ve been supportingmyself for eight years. I was a cash girl and a wrapper andthen a shop girl until I was grown， and then I got to be asuit model. Mr. Texas Man， don’t you think a little winewould make this dinner a little less dry？”
“You’re not going to drink wine any more， dear. It’sawful to think how—I’ll come to the store to-morrow andget you. I want you to pick out an automobile before weleave. That’s all we need to buy here.”
“Oh， cut that out. If you knew how sick I am of hearingsuch talk.”
After the dinner they walked down Broadway and cameupon Diana’s little wooded park. The trees caught Platt’seye at once， and he must turn along under the windingwalk beneath them. The lights shone upon two brighttears in the model’s eyes.
“I don’t like that，” said Platt. “What’s the matter？”
“Don’t you mind，” said Miss Asher. “Well， it’s because—well， I didn’t think you were that kind when I first sawyou. But you are all like. And now will you take me home，or will I have to call a cop？”
Platt took her to the door of her boarding-house. Theystood for a minute in the vestibule. She looked at him withsuch scorn in her eyes that even his heart of oak began towaver. His arm was half way around her waist， when shestruck him a stinging blow on the face with her open hand.
As he stepped back a ring fell from somewhere andbounded on the tiled floor. Platt groped for it and foundit.
“Now， take your useless diamond and go， Mr. Buyer，” shesaid.
“This was the other one—the wedding ring，” said theTexan， holding the smooth gold band on the palm of hishand.
Miss Asher’s eyes blazed upon him in the half darkness.
“Was that what you meant？ —did you” —
Somebody opened the door from inside the house.
“Good-night，” said Platt. “I’ll see you at the store tomorrow.”
Miss Asher ran up to her room and shook the schoolteacher until she sat up in bed ready to scream “Fire！”
“Where is it？” she cried.
“That’s what I want to know，” said the model. “You’vestudied geography， Emma， and you ought to know. Whereis a town called Cac—Cac—Carac—Caracas City， I think，they called it？”
“How dare you wake me up for that？” said the schoolteacher. “Caracas is in Venezuela， of course.”
“What’s it like？”
“Why， it’s principally earthquakes and negroes andmonkeys and malarial fever and volcanoes.”
“I don’t care，” said Miss Asher， blithely； “I’m going thereto-morrow.”