e back a white staircase railed
with mahogany wound its way to the second story, and at the right a
broad silver-knobbed mahogany door opened invitingly into the
drawing-room.

The charm of the Anstice drawing-room lay in its being no drawing-room
at all, but just a living-room, reflecting the taste and habits of the
people who occupied it. Jim's parrot usurped the window, where he
chattered in the sun all day, and flew about at his will, much to the
injury of the curtains. Between the windows and the white casing of
the mahogany door, stood an old desk strewn with papers in some
confusion; for Professor Anstice was fond of bringing his writing from
the study on the upper floor to Winifred's domain. The piano occupied
the opposite side of the room, the coffin-like gloom of its polished
rosewood enlivened by a tall vase brilliant now with the
chrysanthemums which autumn had brought. A shaded lamp glowed on a
table loaded with books and drawn cosily to the side of a deep couch,
and on the other side of the fire, which shot out little hisses of
heat on this chilly afternoon, stood the tea-table, with its delicate
old-fashioned silver, its transparent china cups, and the plates of
hot toasted muffins and ethereally thin bread-and-butter sandwiches
which McGregor brought in punctually at five every day.

The old butler was the one extravagance of the Anstice menage, and as
Winifred said, she saved his wages out of the china that he didn't
break,--which was one way of looking at it,--and then, McGregor was so
much more than a butler! He was housekeeper and parent's assistant and
family counsellor all in one. He advised Professor Anstice as to the
weight of overcoat called for by the temperature outside. He reminded
Jimmy of his mittens and rubbers, and his respectful but significant
glances informed Winifred of the exact estimation in which he held her
guests.

Flint was a special favorite, and the bow he accorded him was
equivalent to a benediction.

"Yes, sir," he said this afternoon, "Miss Anstice is in the parlor. I
am just taking in the tea." Having relieved the visitor of his hat and
coat, he ushered him in with the air of a protector, and then, after
drawing the curtains and lighting the alcohol lamp under the silver
kettle, he withdrew noiselessly and deferentially.

"What a treasure that man is!" said Flint, looking after him as he
disappeared. "He is better than forty coats of arms as a guarantee of
respectab