wful while," said he reproachfully. "Aren't
you ever coming to our house any more?"

"I hope so, Ted. But, you see," explained Richard carefully, "I'm a man
of business now and I can't have much time for calls. I'm in Eastman
most of the time. How are you, Ted? Tell me all about it. Can you go for
a spin with me? I had to come into town in a hurry, but there's no great
hurry about getting back. I'll take you out into the country and show
you the prettiest lot of apple trees in full bloom you ever saw in May."

"I'd like to first-rate, but could you take me home first? I have to let
mother know where I am after school."

"All right." And away they flew. But Richard turned off the avenue three
blocks below the corner upon which stood Ted's home and ran up the
street behind it. "Run in the back way, will you, Ted?" he requested. "I
want to do a bit of work on the car while you're in."

So while Ted dashed up through the garden to the back of the house
Richard got out and unscrewed a nut or two, which he screwed again into
place without having accomplished anything visible to the eye, and was
replacing his wrench when the boy returned.

"This is jolly," Ted declared. "I'll bet Rob envies me. This is her
Wednesday off from teaching, and she was just going for a walk. She
wanted me to go with her, but of course she let me go with you instead.
I--I suppose I could ride on the running board and let you take her if
you want to," he proposed with some reluctance.

"I'd like nothing better, but she wouldn't go."

"Maybe not. Perhaps Mr. Westcott is coming for her. They walk a lot
together."

"I thought Mr. Westcott practised law with consuming zeal."

"With what? Anyhow, he's here a lot this spring. About every Wednesday,
I think. I say, this is a bully car! If I were Rob I'd a lot rather ride
with you than go walking with old Westcott--especially when it's so
warm."

"I'm afraid," said Richard soberly, "that walking in the woods in May
has its advantages over bowling along the main highway in any kind of a
car."

Nevertheless he managed to make the drive a fascinating experience to
Ted and a diverting one to himself. And on the way home they stopped at
the West Wood marshes to gather a great bunch of trilliums as big as
Ted's head.

"I'll take 'em to Rob," said her younger brother. "She likes 'em better
than any spring flower."

"Take my bunch to Mrs. Stephen Gray then. And be sure you don't get them
mixed."

"