n and rest
yourself, and we will walk to the inn."
"Not a bit of it!" exclaimed Ida. "You go that way, and I will go this,
and if you see him, call out as loud as you can."
Very reluctantly Mr. Beam obeyed orders, and hurried in the direction of
the highroad.
As he sat down by his open window Walter Lodloe looked out and saw Ida
Mayberry running. Instantly there was a shout from the summer-house and
the wave of a handkerchief. Then the nurse-maid ceased to run, but
walked rapidly in the direction of the handkerchief-waver, who stood
triumphantly pointing to the baby-carriage. After a glance at the baby
to see that he was all right, Miss Mayberry seated herself on a bench in
the shade, and took off her hat. In a few moments the Greek scholar was
seated by her, the book was opened, and two heads were together in
earnest study.
About ten minutes later Lodloe saw Lanigan Beam appear upon the lawn,
walking rapidly. In a moment he caught sight of the group at the
summer-house, and stopped short. He clenched his fists and slightly
stamped one foot.
Lodloe now gave a low whistle, and Lanigan glancing upward at the sound,
he beckoned to him to come to his tower-room. The young man at first
hesitated, and then walked slowly towards the little garden, and
ascended the outside stairway.
Lodloe greeted him with a smile.
"As you seem doubtful about joining the little company down there, I
thought I would ask you up here," he said.
Lanigan walked to the window and gazed out at the summer-house.
"They are having a good, cozy time of it," said he, "but that won't do.
That sort of thing has got to be stopped."
"Why won't it do?" asked Lodloe. "What is the matter with it, and who is
going to stop it?"
"It's sheer nonsense," said Beam, turning away from the window and
throwing himself into a chair; "why should an old fellow like Tippengray
take up all the spare time of that girl? She doesn't need to learn
anything. From what she has said to me I judge that she knows too much
already."
"It strikes me," said Lodloe, "that if he likes to teach her, and she
likes to learn, it is nobody's business but their own, unless Mrs.
Cristie should think that her interests were being neglected." He spoke
quietly, although he was a little provoked at the tone of his companion.
"Well," said Mr. Beam, stretching his legs upon a neighboring chair, "I
object to that intimacy for two reasons. In the first place, it keeps
me away
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