eat, and is used to doing for herself; her mother hasn't had
time to fuss with her, of course, and that's lucky for me. She seems
very well behaved, considering."

Jewel had made heroic efforts while Mrs. Forbes assisted at her morning
toilet, and this was her reward.

"Well, we mustn't have you imposed upon," returned Mr. Evringham,
feeling guilty of the situation. "The child must obey you implicitly,
implicitly."

So saying he passed into the house, and after making a change in his
toilet, entered the dining-room. There he was seated, deep in his
newspaper and waiting for his coffee, when the door opened, light feet
ran to him, and an arm was thrown around his neck. He looked up to meet
a happy smile, and before he could realize who had captured him, Jewel
pressed a fervent kiss upon his cheek.

"Oh, grandpa, how nice and cold your cheek feels! Have you been out
doors already?"

Mr. Evringham could feel the said cheek grow hot in surprise at this
onslaught. He held himself stiffly and uncomfortably in the encircling
arm.

"Yes, I've been out on horseback," he returned shortly. "I go every
morning."

Jewel's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I'm so glad. Then I can watch you. I love to
see anybody ride. When I see a beautiful horse something inside me gets
warm. Father says I like just the same things he does. I must let you
read your paper, grandpa, but may I say one thing more?"

"Yes."

"I didn't come last evening to kiss you good-night because you had
somebody with you in the library, and, the giant--and Mrs. Forbes
wouldn't let me; but I wanted to. You know I wanted to, don't you? I
felt all sorry inside because I couldn't. You know you're the only real
relation I have in the castle"--Here Mrs. Forbes's entrance with the
coffee interrupted the confidence, and Jewel, with a last surreptitious
squeeze of Mr. Evringham's neck, intended to finish her sentence
eloquently, left him and went to her chair.

"You're to sit here this morning," said Mrs. Forbes, indicating the
place opposite her employer. "Mrs. Evringham and her daughter don't come
down to breakfast."

Jewel looked up eagerly. "Not ever?" she asked.

"Never."

The child shot a radiant glance across at her grandfather which he
caught, the thread of his business calculations having been hopelessly
broken. "Oh, grandpa, we're always going to have breakfast alone
together!" she said joyously. Noting Mrs. Forbes's set countenance, she
added apologetically, "