If any of these
shouldn't be in have him buy those also, for I particularly want to
have them ready for use as soon as I get here. And I shall probably,"
he added, looking at her with his pleasant smile as he picked up his
hat and gloves, "work you very hard tomorrow looking up references and
finding things for me that I remember to have seen somewhere inside
the covers of those books."

Henrietta went home much pleased by the favorable turn affairs had
taken. The better prospect for her own personal comfort had its share
in her gratification. But it was small beside her relief that her
employer seemed to have won through his besetting harassments and, his
pleasant, winning self again, was once more earnestly devoting himself
to his affairs. For these had suffered during the last few weeks,
while his absorption in his hidden troubles not only had kept him from
devoting proper attention to them, but even had seemed to dull his
capacities. He himself had felt that his artistic perceptions, usually
so true and keen, were blunted and blurred. Upon the design for one of
his commissions, a country house in the Berkshires, he had made
beginning after beginning, only to throw each one aside in disgust and
discouragement. Nor had the various other orders in hand advanced much
better. He had not even begun the design for the capitol building,
although he was under contract to have it finished in three months.

Henrietta knew that he was beginning to feel worried about the
unsatisfactory trend of his work and she had been watching the course
of affairs with secret anxiety. She knew, too, that recently he had
been disappointed and annoyed by several business matters. He prided
himself upon his acute business sense, but lately he had blundered
more than once in his orders to his stock brokers and had lost some
money.

But, puzzled though she was by these developments in Felix Brand's
character and temperament and apprehensive of their results, if she
could have witnessed the scene that was taking place in his apartment
ten or twelve hours after he bade her that smiling farewell for the
day, far greater would have been her alarm and bewilderment.

It was well toward morning, but every light in every room was shining
at its brightest. From one room to another, from end to end of the
suite and back again, its master was walking rapidly, constantly, as
if he feared to stop for an instant or even to check his pace. The
light, muffl