s. Bob grunted and turned around facing the brother and sister,
blinked, grunted again, and probably thought of Sandy also.

The train that afternoon was on time, and the carriage Markham sent to
the station presently appeared bearing Mrs. Treadwell.

Olive Treadwell was handsomer than ever, for her gray hair softened her
features and the years had added just enough flesh to her bones to
insure grace, not angularity.

"I am going back on the six-two train, Mr. Markham, if you will permit
your coachman to take me to the station. Lans and I have a very
important engagement this evening."

Levi gave the order and handed his visitor to a chair.

"Matilda has some iced tea for us," he said, "and then we will go
inside."

Mrs. Treadwell greeted her hostess and sat languidly down, taking off,
as she did so, her long dust coat and displaying an exquisite gown of
pale violet.

There was a little desultory conversation, two cups of delicious tea
and one of Matilda's choice sandwiches and then Markham led the way to
the library.

Mrs. Treadwell took the deep leather chair, Levi lowered the awning
over the west window, and courteously sat down opposite his visitor.

"It is years since we met, Mr. Markham," Olive Treadwell said; "but you
have been very kind to me, meanwhile. I am not one to forget."

Markham nodded his head and lowered his eyes. After a decent pause
Mrs. Treadwell continued, feeling her way through her remarks like a
cautious person stepping gingerly over a mental ice pond. She always
seemed to leave a subject open to more than one interpretation and by
the lifting of Markham's eyebrows or the raising of his eyes she chose
her footing. The raising of his keen eyes under the shaggy brows was
very disconcerting and illuminating.

"I know, my dear Mr. Markham, that you are not as worldly as I am; I am
confident that along certain lines of conventions we will differ now,
as we have in the past, but, being worldly I cannot bear that an
injustice should be done that would cause you to act in such a way as
to defeat your own aims and ideals."

The eyebrows went up as if they were on springs, and Mrs. Treadwell
leaped to a safer footing.

"Of course, when I refer to worldliness, I mean social worldliness. I
have learned, I have been forced to learn, the justice of your
once-proposed dealing with my Lans before he went to college. Your
business sense cannot be questioned. Had the boy been placed in y