s scarcely any
friction. She seems far less self-centred. Why, to give you one
little instance; earlier in the winter your father was ordered to drink
milk between meals. We had special milk in sealed bottles, and we kept
it upstairs in a small refrigerator. I always opened the bottles
myself and gave it to Charles at the right times--you know I have
always attended to that sort of thing. But one day Therese came to me
and asked if she might see to it herself. She said she felt she would
like to do something for him. Of course I was delighted, so she has
done it ever since. Still, it was unlike her, wasn't it?"

"Very," assented her nephew dryly, while his face grew a little more
thoughtful. "Indeed, I feel almost inclined to question her motives.
Don't you suppose this is just another attempt to get round him?
'_Timeo Danaos_,' you know."

Miss Clifford shook her head.

"I never studied Greek," she said, "but I am sure you are unjust."

Roger gave a rapturous chuckle and squeezed her plump hand in his.

"Never mind. 'Kind hearts are more than coronets, and simple faith
than Norman blood'--you know that quotation, don't you?"

"Certainly, though I scarcely see how it applies to Therese."

"It doesn't," retorted Roger, laughing anew. Then more seriously, "You
spoke of Arthur Holliday. Is he still on the tapis?"

"Oh, we see a good deal of him, although I believe he's considering a
position that's been offered him in the Argentine. He came recently to
ask Charles's advice about accepting it."

"The Argentine! He must have pulled a wonderful bluff with someone."

"Yes! I've never known him do anything serious. Yet he always appears
to have money. He runs a car, dresses well and lives at a first-rate
hotel."

"One of Life's little mysteries," commented the young man with a shake
of the head. "I would like to know how these gentlemen of leisure
manage. I always have to pay my hotel hills, or I would be put out,
but not these fellows. Oh, no! There's some magic about them--no
known means of support, yet they live like princes. There's one in
Manchester now--he was up at Cambridge with me, I regret to say. The
fact's cost me a good deal first and last. He comes regularly to
borrow money and keeps a taxi ticking up outside for an hour while he's
waiting to see me. Oh, he's to the manor born, just like Arthur
Holliday. I take off my hat to them both."

Miss Clifford laughed tolerantly.