o her demand that he gave the story of his experiences as a rent
collector, and he gave it well. He started out easily enough, but was
quick to see that she was following him with keen interest; he noticed,
too, that the maid had ceased altogether the "clearing away" process,
and was standing by her mistress, listening with shining eyes and mouth
slightly open. Their interest thrilled him, it mattered not that the
audience numbered only two--it was to him as though nothing in the
world mattered but the recital of his story in such a manner as that
those two should live it with him. He rose as the recital proceeded
and paced the floor, using the chairs occasionally to indicate the
positions of himself or some of the others who had played their parts.
And the women laughed and applauded, or murmured words of sympathy and
understanding as the tale proceeded. It came to an end somewhat
abruptly, William suddenly embarrassed, half ashamed, altogether shy,
longing to get out of the house and back to the office. "And that's
all," he ended curtly.

"And did Mrs. Moriarity say anything when she kissed you?" asked Miss
Whimple slyly. William blushed--he did not often feel so hot and
uncomfortable at a mere question. He felt a sudden rush of anger at
himself for blushing, and some annoyance at Miss Whimple as the cause
of it, and it was only after she had repeated the question that he
answered, "Yes--she--she--says, 'God bless ye, darlint.'"

They allowed him to go finally, but it was only after Miss Whimple had
exacted from him a promise that he would bring Pete and the other young
members of the Turnpike family to spend a Saturday afternoon with her.

The maid accompanied him to the door, and stood watching him as he
walked down the path towards the gate. William noticed that the
grass-cutting operations had brought the maid's husband closer to the
house. "John," said the maid, "ye'll nae be needin' tae stop the
laddie wi' ony of yer fulish questions. If there's onything to tell
aboot him, I'll tell it."

The man looked at her sharply, and William, as he passed him, said
softly, "Gee! but you married men have the hard times." And he ducked
in time to avoid a good-sized piece of wood that the man hurled at him.

CHAPTER XI

William was not long in fulfilling his promise to Miss Whimple to take
his younger brothers and sisters up to spend a Saturday afternoon at
her house. His mother started early on the ta