h mock seriousness he went on: "Say
sis, Helen and I have been having an argument. Who does Steell come
here for--for you or for me?"

Ray burst into merry laughter.

"How silly you are, Ken. For me, of course. At least, I flatter
myself that----" With a wink at her sister she added facetiously: "Of
course, one never knows when dealing with these handsome men. And
Helen is quite adorable. If I were a man, I should be crazy about her."

Helen held up a protesting finger.

"Don't talk like that, dear, or he'll believe you."

Kenneth laughed.

"Yes, I'm as jealous as Othello and quite as dangerous. Don't I look
it?"

As he spoke, the front door-bell rang downstairs. Ray hastily took up
her things.

"Here's company!"

"I hope not!" exclaimed Helen. "I'm in no mood to see anybody."

"I'll see them," whispered Ray, "and say you're out. It won't be the
first fib I've told."

She ran lightly out of the room and upstairs, while Helen and her
husband went on with the work of packing. They were just stooping
together over a trunk when there came a rap on the door, and Francois
appeared.

"A lady to see monsieur."

Kenneth looked puzzled.

"A lady? What lady?"

Helen laughed merrily. Triumphantly, she exclaimed:

"It's my turn now to be jealous."

"Not exactly a lady, monsieur. An elderly person."

"What's her name?"

"Mrs. Mary O'Connor."

Kenneth smiled broadly.

"Mary O'Connor, my old nurse. Well, well, show her right in." Turning
to his wife he added quickly: "Dear old soul--no doubt she's heard I'm
off to Africa and wishes to say good-bye."

An instant later an old woman bent with age and with a kindly face
framed with silvery white hair came in, hands outstretched. Without
any air of condescension on his part, Kenneth went forward to greet
her. Through all the long stretch of years, from his boy days to his
manhood he had never forgotten how kind Mary had been to him when a
child, taking the place of the mother he had lost in infancy. A
Christmas was never allowed to pass without a fat turkey for the old
nurse and many a little present of money had accompanied the bird. The
old woman's lips quivered as she said tremulously:

"It's a long way you're going, Mr. Kenneth."

"Oh, I'll soon be back, Mary," he rejoined jovially.

She shook her head.

"It's a long way and I'm getting old."

The promoter laughed boisterously. Leading her gently to a chair he
exclaimed:

"Ol