ately. Alan will never really appreciate
its beauty. You will. That will be your recompense for what you suffer
before you find it."

Mrs. Ross, as if to conceal emotion, turned quickly to romp with her
son. Then she looked at Michael:

"And haven't you already once or twice left Alan behind?"

Suddenly to Michael her grey eyes seemed accusing.

"Yes, I suppose I have," he granted. "But isn't that the reason why my
personality affects more people than his? You said just now that
experience was only the setting, but I'm sure in my case it's more than
a mere setting."

And even as he spoke all his experience seemed to cloud his brow,
knitting and lining it with perplexed wrinkles.

"Mrs. Ross, you won't think me very rude if I say you always remind me
of Pallas Athene? You always have, you know. At first it was just a
vague outward resemblance, because you're tall and sort of cool-looking,
and I really think your nose is rather Greek, if you don't mind my
saying so."

"Oh, Michael," Mrs. Ross smiled. "I think you're even more unalterable
than Alan. I seem to see you as a little boy again, when you talk like
that."

Michael, however, was too keen on the scent of his comparison to be put
off by smiles, and he went on eagerly:

"Now I realize that you actually are like Athene. You're one of those
people who seem to have sprung into the world fully armed. I can't
imagine that you were ever young."

Mrs. Ross laughed outright at this.

"Wait a minute," cried Michael. "Or ever old for that matter. And you
know all about me. No, you needn't shake your head like that. Because
you do."

Young Kenneth was so much roused by Michael's triumphant asseverations
that he began to shout and kick in delighted tune and fling the apples
from him with a vigour that he had never yet reached.

"You know," Michael continued breathlessly, while the boy on the grass
gurgled his endorsement of every word. "You know that I'm old for my
age, that I've already done things that other chaps at school only
whisper about."

He stopped suddenly, for the grey eyes had become like rocks, and though
the baby still panted ecstatically, there fell a chill.

"I'm very sorry to hear it," said Mrs. Ross.

"Well, why did you lead me on to confide in you?" said Michael sullenly.
"I thought you would sympathize."

"Michael, I apologize," she said, melting. "I didn't mean to hurt your
feelings. I dare say--ah, Michael, you see how easily all my