istened, too. But under it
all his thought was busy. The mystery of Father Adam's letter was no
longer a mystery. He understood. But he was also puzzled. How had this
thing come about? How had Father Adam learned of this visit? How had
this girl become representative of the Skandinavia? A hundred questions
flashed through his mind, for none of which he could find a satisfactory
answer. But he smiled to himself as he thought of that last line in
Father Adam's letter. "Treat her gently--firmly, yes--but very gently.
You see, she's a--woman."

* * * * *

It was a moment likely to live with both in the years to come. For Nancy
it was at least the final stage of her apprenticeship, the passing of
the portal beyond which opened out the world she so completely desired
to take her place in. Did it not mean the moment of shouldering the
great burden of responsibility she had so steadfastly trained herself to
bear? For Bull Sternford it had no such meaning. His powers had long
since been tested. As a meeting with the representative of a rival
enterprise it was merely an incident in the life to which he had become
completely accustomed. Its significance lay in quite another direction.

Bat had taken his departure. He had witnessed the meeting of Nancy with
this protege Father Adam had sent him from the dark world of the
forests. And his witness of it had been with twinkling eyes, and the
happy sense of an amusement he had never looked to discover in the
presence of a representative of the Skandinavia. In an unexpressed
fashion he realised he was gazing upon something in the nature of a
stage play.

He had found Bull transformed. The office suit was gone. The man's hair
was carefully brushed. He even suspected the liberal use of soap and
water. And then, too, the heavy, rough boots had given place to shining
patent leather. The youth and human nature of it pleased him. So he had
departed to the workshops below with a voiceless chuckle, and a greater
appreciation of the inevitability of the things of life.

Apart from Nancy's appreciation of that meeting, the woman in her sought
to appraise the man she beheld. Her impression was far deeper than she
knew. The height and muscular girth she beheld left her with a feeling
that she was gazing upon one of the pictures her school-girl mind had
created for the great men of Greek and Roman history. The clean-shaven,
clear-cut face, with its fine eyes and b