ery sorry, indeed," said Mr. Wakeham. "It is a great pity
you cannot come with us, and you look rather fagged. Dimock could not
delay, eh?"

"He says he has an appointment at Kansas City which he must keep."

"Oh, it is perfect rubbish," exclaimed Rowena impatiently, "and we have
a party on to-night. Your friend, Mr. Hugh Raeder, is to be out, and
Professor Schaefer and a friend of his, and some perfectly charming
girls."

"But why tell me these things now, Miss Wakeham," said Larry, "when you
know it is impossible for me to come?"

"You won't come?"

"I can't come."

"Come along then, father," she said, and with a stiff little bow she
left Larry at his desk.

Before the car moved off Larry came hurrying out.

"Here is Elfie's letter," he said. "Perhaps Mrs. Wakeham would like to
see it." Miss Wakeham was busy at the wheel and gave no sign of having
heard or seen. So her father reached over and took the letter from him.

"Do you know," said Larry gravely, "I do not think it is quite so hot as
it was. I almost fancy I feel a chill."

"A chill?" said Mr. Wakeham anxiously. "What do you mean?"

Miss Wakeham bit her lip, broke into a smile and then into a laugh. "Oh,
he's a clever thing, he is," she said. "I hope you may have a real good
roast this afternoon."

"I hope you will call next Saturday," said Larry earnestly. "It is sure
to be hot."

"You don't deserve it or anything else that is good."

"Except your pity. Think what I am missing."

"Get in out of the heat," she cried as the car slipped away.

For some blocks Miss Wakeham was busy getting her car through the crush
of the traffic, but as she swung into the Park Road she remarked, "That
young man takes himself too seriously. You would think the business
belonged to him."

"I wish to God I had more men in my office," said her father, "who
thought the same thing. Do you know, young lady, why it is that so many
greyheads are holding clerk's jobs? Because clerks do not feel that
the business is their own. The careless among them are working for five
o'clock, and the keen among them are out for number one. Do you know if
that boy keeps on thinking that the business is his he will own a big
slice of it or something better before he quits. I confess I was greatly
pleased that you failed to move him."

"All the same, he is awfully stubborn," said his daughter.

"You can't bully him as you do your old dad, eh?"

"I had counted on him for our dinner