head forward and listened. His mother watched him in silence.
Disapproval at his behavior was plainly written on her face.

"What are you doing at that door, sir?" she demanded sharply.

Harry grinned. He knew his mother's weakness too well to be much
impressed with her affected tone of severity.

"Is Miss Marsh in?" he asked, in a low tone.

A new suspicion crossed Mrs. Parkes' mind. Hilda was safe out of the
way, but here was a new peril. Before this she had noticed her son
staring at her young lady lodger. Dear--dear--how like his father he
was!

"Why do you want to know?" she demanded. "What concern is it of yours?"

"I want to see her on important business," he said doggedly.

Mrs. Parkes held up her finger warningly.

"Now, Harry--don't make a fool of yourself. Remember--this Miss Marsh is
a boarder--under my roof. She seems a nice girl--even if she does owe me
three weeks' rent. But she's nothing for you to waste your time on."

Harry held up his hand in protest.

"Mother," he cried. "I'm thirty years old--I'm earning fifteen hundred a
year as assistant draughtsman in the office of the biggest firm of
architects in New York City. I'm a free, separate entity, an independent
individual, a somebody, and I warn you--if you try to pick out my
company for me--as you did for my father, you'll lose me as you did him.
You'll not only be a grass widow, but a grass mother. I want to see Miss
Marsh because--well, I want to see her----"

"She owes me three weeks' board," repeated Mrs. Parkes doggedly.

"What of it?" he laughed. "I don't want to see her about that."

"I don't trust a girl who owes me three weeks' lodging----"

"You do trust her, or she wouldn't owe you. You trust her because she's
a lady, because you like her--yes, you do! She's in trouble,
mother--and you're never hard on anyone that's in trouble, you dear old
bundle of inconsistencies!"

Going up to his mother, he put his arm round her neck. Kissing her, he
added:

"She'll pay you as soon as she gets the money her father left her. You
know she's won her lawsuit."

Fumbling in her pocket, Mrs. Parkes drew out an envelope.

"Yes, so I heard," she said dryly, "but this is a little reminder--just
to let her know how much it is. I never knew you took such an interest
in her affairs."

"An interest?" exclaimed Harry, with mock surprise. "What nonsense. Come
here, mother--sit down. I want to talk seriously with you."

Drawing up a chair, he