ndfather, and I thought as Madge and Eloise were with you, they
would look after her if Mrs. Forbes is no longer there. This has all
come about very suddenly, and we sail next Wednesday on the Scythia, so
I'll be much obliged if you will wire me. I shall be glad to shake your
hand again.

Your repentant son,

HARRY.

Mrs. Forbes looked up from the letter to find her employer's eyes upon
her. Her lips were set in a tight line.

"Well?" he asked.

"I'd like to ask first, sir, what you think of it?"

"It strikes me as very cool. Harry knows my habits."

The housekeeper loosened the reins of her indignation.

"The idea of your having a child here to clatter up and down the stairs
at the very time you want to take a nap!" she burst forth. "You've had
enough to bear already."

"A deal of company in the house as it is, eh?" he rejoined. It was the
first reference he had ever made to his permanent guests.

"It's what I was thinking, sir."

"You're not for it, then, Mrs. Forbes?"

"So far as taking care of the child goes, I should do my duty. I don't
think Mrs. Evringham or her daughter would wish to be bothered; but I
know very little about children, except that your house is no place for
them to be racing in. One young one brings others. You would be annoyed,
sir. Some folks can always ask favors." The housekeeper's cheeks were
flushed with the strength of her repugnance, and her bias relieved Mr.
Evringham's indecision.

"I agree with you," he returned, rising. "Tell 'Zekiel to saddle the
Maid. After dinner I will let him take a telegram to the office."

He returned to the house without further words, and Mrs. Forbes called
to her son in a voice that had a wrathful quaver.

"What you got your back up about?" inquired Zeke softly, after a careful
look to see that his august master had departed.

"Never you mind. Mr. Evringham wants you should saddle his horse and
bring her round. I want he should see you can do it lively."

"Ain't she a beaut'!" exclaimed Zeke as he led out the mare. "She'd
ought to be shown, she had."

"Shown! Better not expose your ignorance where Mr. Evringham can hear
you. That mare's taken two blue ribbons already."

"Showed they knew their business," returned Zeke imperturbably. "I
s'pose the old gent don't care any more for her than he does for his
life."

"I guess he loves her the best of anything in this world."

"Love! The governor love anything or anybody! That's good,"