It
is not right for me to sit here idle. Suppose you try to supply some of
the words which were left out of the manuscript, in the first days of my
writing for you."

"Very well," said I; and, taking up her memoranda, she began to look for
the vacant spaces which she had left in the manuscript pages. I supplied
very few words, for to save my life I could not at this moment bring my
mind to bear upon such trifles; but it was pretense of work, and better
than embarrassing idleness. Before my secretary left me I must think of
something to say to her in regard to the work for to-morrow; but what
should I say? Should I tell her I would drop the story, or that I would
modify it so as to make it feasible for her to write? Something must
quickly be decided upon, and while I was tumultuously revolving the
matter in my mind twelve o'clock and the sub-mother came. My secretary
went away, with nothing but the little bow which she was accustomed to
make when leaving the room.

XVII.

REGARDING THE ELUCIDATION OF NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

I was left in my study in a very unpleasant state of mind. I was
agitated and apprehensive. Perhaps that young woman would not come any
more. I had not told her that I was going to stop writing about love,
and there was every reason to suppose she would not return. What an
imbecile I had been! I had done nothing, because I could not think of
exactly the right thing to do.

I now felt that I must ask the advice of somebody in regard to this
embarrassing and important affair. For a moment I thought of my
grandmother, but she would be sure to begin by advising me to change my
secretary. She seldom urged me to do what I did not want to do, but if I
offered her a chance to give me advice on this occasion I knew what
would be uppermost in her mind.

So I put on my hat and went to Walkirk, at the inn. I found him at work
on a mass of accounts, dating back for years, which I had given him to
adjust. With great circumspection I laid before him this new affair.

"You see," said I, "she is a first-class secretary. She has learned to
do my work as I like it done, and I do not wish to make a change, and,
on the other hand, I do not care to alter the plan of my book."

Walkirk was always very respectful, but he could not restrain a smile at
the situation.

"It does seem to me," he said, "a very funny thing to dictate a
love-story to one of the sisters of the House of Martha. Of course they
a