nd paid her fine. Mr. Tolman did not like to take this
money, for it was the first of the kind he had received; but the young
lady looked as if she were well able to afford the luxury of keeping
books over their time, and business was business. So he gravely gave
her her change. Then she said she would like to take out "Dormstock's
Logarithms of the Diapason."

Mr. Tolman stared at her. She was a bright, handsome young lady, and
looked as if she had very good sense. He could not understand it. But
he told her the book was out.

"Out!" she said. "Why, it's always out. It seems strange to me that
there should be such a demand for that book. I have been trying to get
it for ever so long."

"It IS strange," said Mr. Tolman, "but it is certainly in demand. Did
Mrs. Walker ever make you any promises about it?"

"No," said she, "but I thought my turn would come around some time.
And I particularly want the book just now."

Mr. Tolman felt somewhat troubled. He knew that the night druggist
ought not to monopolize the volume, and yet he did not wish to
disoblige one who was so useful to him, and who took such an earnest
interest in the book. And he could not temporize with the young lady,
and say that he thought the book would soon be in. He knew it would
not. There were three hundred and forty pages of it. So he merely
remarked that he was sorry.

"So am I," said the young lady, "very sorry. It so happens that just
now I have a peculiar opportunity for studying that book which may not
occur again."

There was something in Mr. Tolman's sympathetic face which seemed to
invite her confidence, and she continued.

"I am a teacher," she said, "and on account of certain circumstances I
have a holiday for a month, which I intended to give up almost entirely
to the study of music, and I particularly wanted "Dormstock." Do you
think there is any chance of its early return, and will you reserve it
for me?"

"Reserve it!" said Mr. Tolman. "Most certainly I will." And then he
reflected a second or two. "If you will come here the day after
to-morrow, I will be able to tell you something definite."

She said she would come.

Mr. Tolman was out a long time at lunch-time the next day. He went to
all the leading book-stores to see if he could buy a copy of
Dormstock's great work. But he was unsuccessful. The booksellers told
him that there was no probability that he could get a copy in the
country, unless, i