ment. Early in the afternoon he turned into
Kensington Gardens, and walked up and down the broad path, glancing
every now and then toward one of the entrances. He saw at last the
person for whom he was waiting.

Lois, in a plain white muslin gown, and a big hat gay with flowers,
came blithely towards him, a little Pomeranian under one arm, and a
parasol in the other hand.

"I do hope I'm not too dreadfully late!" she exclaimed, setting the
dog down, and taking his hand a little shyly. "It seems such an age
since I saw you last. Where can we go and talk?"

"You are not frightened at me any more, then?"

"Of course not," she answered. "We spoke about that at Beauleys. I do
not want to think any more of that evening. It is over and done with.
What a clever person you are becoming!" she went on. "I saw your name
one day last week in the _Morning Post_. You read a paper before no
end of clever men. And do you know that your photograph is in two or
three of the illustrated papers this week?"

His cheeks flushed with pleasure. He was unreasonably glad that she
appreciated these things. His vanity, which had been a trifle ruffled
by some incident earlier in the day, was effectually soothed.

"These things," he said, "are absolutely valueless to me except so far
as they testify to the importance of my work. Before long," he went
on, "I think that there will be many other people like you, Miss Lois.
They will believe that there is a little more in life than their dull
eyes can see. You were one of those who understood from the first. But
there are not many."

She sighed.

"I don't think I am a bit clever," she admitted.

"Cleverness," he answered, "is not a matter of erudition. It is a
matter of instinct, of capacity for grasping new truths. You have that
capacity, dear Lois, and I am glad that you are here. It is good to be
with you again."

"You really are the most wonderful person," she declared, poking at
her little dog with the end of her fluffy parasol. "You make me feel
as though I were something quite important, and you know I am really a
very unformed, very unintelligent young person. That is what my last
governess said."

"Cat!" he answered laughing. "I can see her now. She wore a
_pince-nez_ and a bicycling skirt. I am sure of it. Come and sit down
here, and I will prove to you how much cleverer I am than that ancient
relic." ...

They parted at the gates, an hour or so later. Saton resented a little
h