ers.
It was too much for me. Ah! ah! I forgot where I was!"

She leaned against a chair, sick and faint from nervousness, her
whole body trembling. At that moment there was a knock at the
library door and Jefferson Ryder appeared. Not seeing Shirley,
whose back was towards him, he advanced to greet his father.

"You told me to come up in five minutes," he said. "I just wanted
to say--"

"Miss Green," said Ryder, Sr., addressing Shirley and ignoring
whatever it was that the young man wanted to say, "this is my son
Jefferson. Jeff--this is Miss Green."

Jefferson looked in the direction indicated and stood as if rooted
to the floor. He was so surprised that he was struck dumb.
Finally, recovering himself, he exclaimed:

"Shirley!"

"Yes, Shirley Green, the author," explained Ryder, Sr., not
noticing the note of familiar recognition in his exclamation.

Shirley advanced, and holding out her hand to Jefferson, said
demurely:

"I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Ryder." Then quickly, in an
undertone, she added: "Be careful; don't betray me!"

Jefferson was so astounded that he did not see the outstretched
hand. All he could do was to stand and stare first at her and then
at his father.

"Why don't you shake hands with her?" said Ryder, Sr. "She won't
bite you." Then he added: "Miss Green is going to do some literary
work for me, so we shall see a great deal of her. It's too bad
you're going away!" He chuckled at his own pleasantry.

"Father!" blurted out Jefferson, "I came to say that I've changed
my mind. You did not want me to go, and I feel I ought to do
something to please you."

"Good boy," said Ryder pleased. "Now you're talking common sense,"
He turned to Shirley, who was getting ready to make her departure:
"Well, Miss Green, we may consider the matter settled. You
undertake the work at the price I named and finish it as soon as
you can. Of course, you will have to consult me a good deal as you
go along, so I think it would be better for you to come and stay
here while the work is progressing. Mrs. Ryder can give you a
suite of rooms to yourself, where you will be undisturbed and you
will have all your material close at hand. What do you say?"

Shirley was silent for a moment. She looked first at Ryder and
then at his son, and from them her glance went to the little
drawer on the left-hand side of the desk. Then she said quietly:

"As you think best, Mr. Ryder. I am quite willing to do the work
h