nged to transfer the office lease and to sell enough
of its furniture to pay the rent in arrears.

Then David went home to lay his gift at Shirley's feet.

And yet, as he neared the apartment, he felt a strange shrinking from
telling her the news, lest she guess what his gift had cost him. He
wondered at that.

He found Shirley flushed with excitement over news of her own.

"Guess who's coming!"

David could not guess.

"Aunt Clara!"

"Why, that's fine," he rejoiced weakly.

Shirley kissed him nicely.

"And, David, I think she's coming to talk over things."

"Aunt Clara generally is-- What things?"

"Why, our affairs. Money, you know."

His glance sharpened. "Why do you think that?"

"Because--now don't scold!" She brushed an imaginary bit of dust from
his shoulder. "Because--I asked her."

"Shirley!" His clasp of her relaxed.

"Now _please_, don't let's have another scene. What's the use of rich
relations if they can't help you out once in a while? You've no right
to let your foolish pride cut Davy Junior and me off from Aunt Clara's
help."

"Luckily we shan't need her help, because"--it was not so he had
thought to tender his gift--"because to-day I got a job."

"A job? Oh, David!" Her arms tightened around his neck, Aunt Clara
for the moment forgotten. "What is it?"

He told her.

"Just a draftsman? That isn't a very high position, is it?"

"Not very."

"How much does it pay?"

He told her and saw her face fall.

"Why, that's only a little more than you have been making."

"At least, it's steady and sure."

"But even Maizie makes that much. I used to get ninety from the
library. I thought men--clever men--"

"Beggars," he said, "even clever beggars, can't be choosers."

"But we're not beggars, are we?"

"Your Aunt Clara will think so."

He turned away into another room, leaving the matter of Aunt Clara
suspended in the air. He saw then that he ran no risk of Shirley
guessing what his gift had cost him. He wondered if _he_ yet guessed
how much it would cost.

Soon Aunt Clara arrived, in a taxicab and wearing a businesslike,
purposeful air. She made herself promptly and perfectly at home and
freely passed judgment on all she saw; and very little escaped Aunt
Clara's eyes. She inspected the flat and, inquiry establishing the
rent, sniffingly reminded them that she and Uncle John--now unhappily
deceased--had begun their housekeeping in a fifteen-dollar-a-month