t, and
all sounds deepened before it, even the purring song of the cat
seemed to increase, and possibly did, from the unconscious assertion
of his own voice in the peaceful and somnolent chorus of nature. It
was only spring as yet, but the effect was as of a long summer
afternoon. Anderson, who was always keenly sensitive to all phases of
nature and all atmospheric conditions, was affected by it. He
realized himself sunken in drowsy, unspeculative contentment. Even
the strange, emotional unrest and effervescence, which had been more
or less over him since he had seen Charlotte Carroll, was in
abeyance. After all, he was not a passionate man, and he was not very
young. The young girl seemed to become merely a part of the gracious
harmony which was lulling his soul and his senses to content and
peace. He was conscious of wondering what a man could want more than
he had, as if he had suspected himself of guilt in that direction.

Then, suddenly, pell-mell into the office, starling the great cat to
that extent that he sprang from his red cushion on the window-ledge,
and slunk, flattening his long body against the floor, under the
table, came the boy Eddy Carroll. The boy stood staring at him rather
shamefacedly, though every muscle in his small body seemed on a
twitch with the restrained impulse of flight.

"Well," said Anderson, finally, "what's the trouble, sir?"

Then the boy found his tongue. He came close to the man.

"Say," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "jest let a feller stay in here
a minute, will you?"

Anderson nodded readily. He understood, or thought he did. He
immediately jumped to the conclusion that the teasing boys were at
work again. He felt a little astonished at this headlong flight to
cover of the boy who had so manfully stood at bay a few hours before.
However, he was a little fellow, and there had been a good many of
his opponents. He felt a pleasant thrill of fatherliness and
protection. He looked kindly into the little, pink-flushed face.
"Very well, my son," said he. "Stay as long as you like. Take a
seat." The boy sat down. His legs were too short for his feet to
touch the floor, so he swung them. He gazed ingratiatingly at
Anderson, and now and then cast an apprehensive glance towards the
door of the office. Anderson continued mounting his butterflies, and
paid no attention to him, and the boy seemed to respect his silence.
Presently the great cat emerged quite boldly from his refuge under