udacity of it!" protested Mrs. Forbes. "What do you
think she said after you and Dr. Ballard had done downstairs? I tried to
bring her to a sense of what she'd done, and all she answered was that
she had known that God would deliver her out of the snare of the fowler.
Now I should like to ask you, Mr. Evringham," added Mrs. Forbes in an
access of outraged virtue, "which of us three do you think she called
the fowler?"

"Give it up, I'm sure," returned the broker; "but I can imagine that we
seemed three pretty determined giants for one small girl to outwit."

"She'd outwit a regiment, sir; and I don't see how you can permit it."

Mr. Evringham endeavored to compose his countenance. "We must allow her
religious liberty, I suppose, Mrs. Forbes. It's a matter of religion
with her--that is, we must allow it as long as she keeps well. If
Ballard had found her worse to-night, I assure you I should have
consigned all Christian Scientists to the bottom of the sea, and that
little zealot would have taken her medicine from my own hand. All's well
that ends well, eh?"

Mrs. Forbes had caught sight of the incongruous adornment of her
employer's desk.

With majestic strides she advanced upon the yellow chicken and swept it
into her apron. "Julia must be taught not to litter your room, sir."

"I beg your pardon," returned the broker firmly, also advancing and
holding out his hand. "That is my chicken."

Slowly Mrs. Forbes restored the confiscated property, and Mr. Evringham
examined it carefully to see that it was intact, and then set it
carefully on his desk.

Mrs. Forbes recalled the confectioner's window. "She must have bought
that chicken when my back was turned!" she thought. "That young one
could have given points to Napoleon."

CHAPTER XV

A RAINY MORNING

The next morning it rained so heavily that Mr. Evringham was obliged to
forego his ride. Wet weather was an unmixed ill to him. It not only
made riding and golf miserable, but it reminded him that rheumatism was
getting a grip on one of his shoulders.

"It is disgusting, perfectly disgusting to grow old," he muttered as he
descended the broad staircase. On the lower landing Jewel rose up out
of the dusk, where she had been sitting near the beautiful clock. Her
bright little face shone up at him like a sunbeam.

"You didn't expect to see me, grandpa, did you?" she asked, and as it
did not even occur to him to stoop his head to her, she seized his hand
and