nephew with the
grave air of a connoisseur. "I wonder if she has any free time?"

The old lady looked slightly puzzled. There were so many times when
she could not be quite sure whether Roger was in earnest or not.

"Come along," she chid him, pinching his ear gently, "I suppose, as
usual, you are trying to pull my leg!"

CHAPTER X

A few minutes later Roger was shown into his father's room. His first
sight of the old man, lying flat on his back, his emaciated arms limp
on the smooth white coverlet, his face drawn and the colour of old
parchment, gave him a distinct shock. It was but a momentary one,
however. The room, filled with sunlight, was calm and cheerful, the
fresh fragrance of violets scented the air, the whole atmosphere tended
to allay his fears. The young nurse he had seen in the hall came
forward as he entered, greeting him with a frank smile.

"The doctor says you may stay half an hour," she told him with friendly
simplicity of manner. "Only you must promise not to talk very much,
and not to excite him. You'll be careful, won't you?"

"You can trust me," he assured her.

Their glances met. He liked her naturalness, as transparent as the
lucid brown-amber of her eyes. She seemed to him so straightforward,
like an extremely nice child. He was sorry when she slipped quietly
out and left him alone with the invalid.

"Well, father! This is very wrong of you."

The dull eyes brightened, one big bony hand stretched out to grasp the
young man's firm one.

"Roger! I'm glad to see you. A welcome surprise! I never thought
you'd be free for another couple of months. How did you manage it?"

"Oh, I succeeded sooner than I expected, that's all. I'm particularly
pleased it happened, since you took it into your head to get laid up.
Whatever do you mean by it?"

At his tone of cheerful banter his father's grim face relaxed into a
smile.

"God knows. I seem to get everything that's going, and it isn't for
want of taking care of myself, either. Never mind about me; draw up
that chair and sit down."

Roger obeyed.

"Now let's hear all about America. You realise you have written me
precious few details. I've no idea what you've been up to."

"I didn't want to say much until I had it all definitely fixed up. It
was no good crowing too soon. I can set your mind at rest now, though,
everything's O. K."

The old eyes riveted themselves on his face intently.

"You mean you've lan