her; for the moment he threw away his accustomed
gravity and joined with his guests in their frolics. He led them around
the office, introducing them in turn to each employe, from Cairns right
down to Tim O'Neill, now promoted to office boy and occasional
reporter. He explained the mysteries of the printing room, and retailed
a score of newspaper anecdotes. Finally, he insisted on taking them to a
tea-room, and there ordering tea for the whole party.

When he had parted from them to return to "The Mercury," Sylvia Jackson
asked:

"What do you think of the martinet now? Can you suggest any other man in
Grey Town whom I can transform into something human?"

"Ebenezer Brown," laughed Desmond O'Connor. "Why, there he comes, the
old rascal!"

It was done in a moment. As the man came slowly up the street, Sylvia
Jackson dropped her purse in his path. It fell with a clink, and this it
probably was that caused Ebenezer Brown to stoop and pick it up.

As he handed it back to her, Sylvia Jackson gave him a most gracious
smile.

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Brown!" she said.

Ebenezer paused for a moment to ask:

"You know me, young lady?"

"You would not remember me, but I met you once, years ago. My name is
Sylvia Jackson."

"Jackson?" grunted the old man. "Don't remember the name, but I
shouldn't forget you if I had met you once."

He went along the street, chuckling in his throat in a dry, disagreeable
fashion he affected when amused.

"You took a great risk in allowing old Eb. to hold your purse. How he
resisted an inclination to pocket it I can't for the life of me
understand," said Desmond O'Connor.

"Are there no other impossible men in Grey Town?" asked Sylvia Jackson.
"I feel so exalted by my two successes that I would love to discover a
really hardened woman-hater, and convert him to more humanitarian
principles."

"Be content with what you have achieved, and devote your gifts to me,"
said Desmond.

Kathleen recognised that she was the unnecessary third, but they
protested that she must walk home with them, and managed to ignore her
presence entirely as they followed the dusty road to "Layton."

CHAPTER XIII.

DENIS REFUSES TO SPEAK.

Martin, the postman, was the most deliberate man in Grey Town. He never
hurried, and he never made a mistake. If he had twenty letters to
deliver at the same address, he would carefully read the address of each
one before taking the responsibility of handing it ove