this matter are the feelings of
his daughter. If my staying were to prove a burden for her I could not,
of course, stay. But I see many ways in which I may be helpful, and I
know that she needs and wants the secretarial work which I have given
her. Usually she holds her head high and one isn't even allowed to
guess. But one does guess. Her meagre ration of life is plain beyond
all artifice of pride.

John, she interests me intensely. She is a strange child. She is a
strange woman. For both child and woman she seems to be, in fascinating
combination. But, lest you should mistake me, good old bone-head, let
me make it plain that there is absolutely no danger of my falling in
love with her. My interest is not that kind of interest. I am far too
hard headed to be susceptible. I can appreciate the tragedy of a
charming girl placed in such unsavory environment, and feel impelled to
seek some way of escape for her without being for one moment disturbed
by that unreasoning madness called love. Every student of psychology
understands the nature and the danger of loving. 'Every sensible
student profits by what he understands. You and I have had this out
before and you know my unalterable determination never to allow myself
to become the slave of those primitive and passing instincts. Nature,
the old hussy, is welcome to the use of man as a tool for her own
purposes. But there are enough tools without me. The race will not
perish because I intend to remain my own man. But I shall have to
evolve some way of helping Miss Farr. She cannot be left here under
these conditions.

I am writing to Aunt Caroline, briefly, that I am immersed in study and
that my return is indefinite. Don't, for heaven's sake, let her suspect
that I have employed Miss Farr as secretary. You know Aunt Caroline's
failing. Do be discreet!

Yours,

B. H. S.

P.S.: Any arrangement I may find it necessary to propose in Miss Farr's
case will be based on business, not sentiment. B.

CHAPTER VIII

Desire was seated upon a moss-covered rock, hugging her knees and
gazing out to sea. It was her favorite attitude and, according to
Professor Spence, a very dangerous one, especially in connection with a
moss-covered rock. He would have liked to point out this obvious fact
but that would have been fussy--and fussy the professor was firmly
determined not to be. Aunt Caroline was fussy. The best he could do was
to select another rock, not so slippery, an