preading building a half mile off looked as if
it might be a summer hotel, now closed and shuttered. Beyond it was a
cluster of gray shanties and a gleam of water, evidently a wharf and a
miniature harbor. And, beyond that, the deep, brilliant blue of the sea.
Brown and blue were the prevailing colors, but, here and there, clumps
and groves of pines gave splashes of green.

There was an exhilaration in the crisp air. He felt an unwonted
liveliness and a desire to be active which would have surprised some of
his teachers at the school he had just left. The depression of spirits
of which he had been conscious the previous night had disappeared
along with his premonitions of unpleasantness. He felt optimistic this
morning. After giving his curls a rake with the comb, he opened the door
and descended the steep stairs to the lower floor.

His grandmother was setting the breakfast table. He was a little
surprised to see her doing it. What was the use of having servants if
one did the work oneself? But perhaps the housekeeper was ill.

"Good morning," he said.

Mrs. Snow, who had not heard him enter, turned and saw him. When he
crossed the room, she kissed him on the cheek.

"Good morning, Albert," she said. "I hope you slept well."

Albert replied that he had slept very well indeed. He was a trifle
disappointed that she made no comment on his promptness in answering his
grandfather's summons. He felt such promptness deserved commendation. At
school they rang two bells at ten minute intervals, thus giving a fellow
a second chance. It had been a point of senior etiquette to accept
nothing but that second chance. Here, apparently, he was expected to
jump at the first. There was a matter of course about his grandmother's
attitude which was disturbing.

She went on setting the table, talking as she did so.

"I'm real glad you did sleep," she said. "Some folks can hardly
ever sleep the first night in a strange room. Zelotes--I mean your
grandpa--'s gone out to see to the horse and feed the hens and the pig.
He'll be in pretty soon. Then we'll have breakfast. I suppose you're
awful hungry."

As a matter of fact he was not very hungry. Breakfast was always a
more or less perfunctory meal with him. But he was surprised to see
the variety of eatables upon that table. There were cookies there, and
doughnuts, and even half an apple pie. Pie for breakfast! It had been a
newspaper joke at which he had laughed many times. But it s