th a hungry, self-denying affection
that reached out toward them all, was seeing his daughter as just such
a girl as one of these--simple, wholesome, well-brought-up. He could
not know that Joe, in a way, perceived his daughter in every nice young
woman he saw.

Toward evening of the seventh day of her visit, Miss Sherwood returned.
Larry was on the piazza when the car bearing her swept into the
white-graveled curve of the drive. The car was a handsome, powerful
roadster. Larry had started out to be of such assistance as he could,
when the figure at the wheel, a man, sprang from the car and helped
Miss Sherwood alight. Larry saw that the man was Hunt--such a different
Hunt!--and he had begun a quick retreat when Hunt's voice called after
him:

"You there--wait a minute! I want a little chin-chin with you."

Larry halted. He could not help overhearing the few words that passed
between Hunt and Miss Sherwood.

"Thank you ever so much," she said in her even voice. "Then you're
coming?"

"I promised, didn't I?"

"Then good-bye."

"Good-bye."

They shook hands friendly enough, but rather formally, and Miss Sherwood
turned to the house. Hunt called to Larry:

"Come here, son."

Larry crossed to the big painter who was standing beside the
power-bulged hood of his low-swung car.

"Happened to drop in where she was--brought her home--aunt following
in that hearse with its five-foot cushions she always rides in,"
Hunt explained. And then: "Well, I suppose you've got to give me the
once-over. Hurry up, and get it done with."

Larry obeyed. Hunt's wild hair had been smartly barbered, he had on a
swagger dust-coat, and beneath it flannels of the smartest cut. Further,
he bore himself as if smart clothes and smart cars had always been items
of his equipment.

"Well, young fellow, spill it," he commanded. "What do I look like?"

"Like Solomon in all his glory. No, more like the he-dressmaker of the
Queen of Sheba."

"I'm going to run you up every telephone post we come to for that
insult! Hop in, son, and we'll take a little voyage around the earth in
eighty seconds."

Larry got in. Once out of the drive the car leaped away as though intent
upon keeping to Hunt's time-table. But after a mile or two Hunt quieted
the roaring monster to a conversational pace.

"Get one of the invitations to my show?" he asked.

"Yes. Several days ago. That dealer certainly got it up in great shape."

"You must have hypnotized G