f the safe and they're
on Labe's desk there," pointing to the high standing desk by the window.
"They're worth lookin' at, if only to see how neat they're kept. A set
of books like that is an example to any young man. You might be lookin'
'em over."

He hurried out. Albert smiled condescendingly and, instead of looking
over Mr. Keeler's books, walked over to the window and looked out of
that. The girl was not in sight now, but she might be soon. At any rate
watching for her was as exciting as any amusement he could think of
about that dull hole. Ah hum! he wondered how the fellows were at
school.

The girl did not reappear. Signs of animation along the main road were
limited. One or two men went by, then a group of children obviously on
their way to school. Albert yawned again, took the silver cigarette case
from his pocket and looked longingly at its contents. He wondered
what his grandfather's ideas might be on the tobacco question. But his
grandfather was not there then . . . and he might not return for some
time . . . and . . . He took a cigarette from the case, tapped, with
careful carelessness, its end upon the case--he would not have dreamed
of smoking without first going through the tapping process--lighted the
cigarette and blew a large and satisfying cloud. Between puffs he sang:

"To you, beautiful lady,
I raise my eyes.
My heart, beautiful lady,
To your heart cries:
Come, come, beautiful lady,
To Par-a-dise,
As the sweet, sweet--'"

Some one behind him said: "Excuse me." The appeal to the beautiful lady
broke off in the middle, and he whirled about to find the girl whom he
had seen across the road and for whose reappearance he had been watching
at the window, standing in the office doorway. He looked at her and she
looked at him. He was embarrassed. She did not seem to be.

"Excuse me," she said: "Is Mr. Keeler here?"

She was a pretty girl, so his hasty estimate made when he had first
sighted her was correct. Her hair was dark, so were her eyes, and her
cheeks were becomingly colored by the chill of the winter air. She was
a country girl, her hat and coat proved that; not that they were in bad
taste or unbecoming, but they were simple and their style perhaps nearer
to that which the young ladies of the Misses Bradshaws' seminary had
worn the previous winter. All this Albert noticed in detail later on.
Just then the particular point which attracted his