Annie Wooley. It was
not only the story of his life, but an expression of all his
theories and opinions, and a commentary on the fifty years of events
which he could remember.

Fortunately, he was able to take great interest in this undertaking.
He had the happiest convictions about the clear-cut style he was
developing and his increasing felicity in phrasing. He meant to
publish the work handsomely, at his own expense and under his own
name. He rather enjoyed the thought of how greatly disturbed Harold
would be. He and Harold differed in their estimates of books. All
the solid works which made up Wanning's library, Harold considered
beneath contempt. Anybody, he said, could do that sort of thing.

When Wanning could not sleep at night, he turned on the light beside
his bed and made notes on the chapter he meant to dictate the next
day.

When he returned to the office after lunch, he gave instructions
that he was not to be interrupted by telephone calls, and shut
himself up with his secretary.

After he had opened all the windows and taken off his coat, he fell
to dictating. He found it a delightful occupation, the solace of
each day. Often he had sudden fits of tiredness; then he would lie
down on the leather sofa and drop asleep, while Annie read "The
Leopard's Spots" until he awoke.

Like many another business man Wanning had relied so long on
stenographers that the operation of writing with a pen had become
laborious to him. When he undertook it, he wanted to cut everything
short. But walking up and down his private office, with the strong
afternoon sun pouring in at his windows, a fresh air stirring, all
the people and boats moving restlessly down there, he could say
things he wanted to say. It was like living his life over again.

He did not miss his wife or his daughters. He had become again the
mild, contemplative youth he was in college, before he had a
profession and a family to grind for, before the two needs which
shape our destiny had made of him pretty much what they make of
every man.

At five o'clock Wanning sometimes went out for a cup of tea and took
Annie along. He felt dull and discouraged as soon as he was alone.
So long as Annie was with him, he could keep a grip on his own
thoughts. They talked about what he had just been dictating to her.
She found that he liked to be questioned, and she tried to be
greatly interested in it all.

After tea, they went back to the office. Occasionally