, lithe, and almost tamely placid. Mrs.
Morris met them with animation.

"Have our churchwarden and our rector been having another of their long
talks?"

The joint reply was cut short by Godfrey's imperative hail: "Leonard!"

As Byington turned that way, Arthur said quietly to Mrs. Morris, "He's
promised to retain charge"--and nodded toward Isabel. The nod meant
Isabel's financial investments.

"And mine?" murmured the well-pleased lady.

"Both."

The two gave heed again to Godfrey, who was loudly asking Leonard, "Why
didn't you tell us the news?"

"Oh," drawled Leonard smilingly, "I knew father would."

"I haven't talked with Godfrey since he came," said Mrs. Morris; and as
she left Arthur she asked his brother: "What news? Has the governor
truly made him"--

"District attorney, yes," said Godfrey. "Ruth, I think you might have
told me."

"Godfrey, I think you might have asked me," laughed the girl, drawing
Isabel toward Arthur and Leonard, in order to leave Mrs. Morris to
Godfrey.

Arthur moved to meet them, but Ruth engaged him with a question, and
Isabel turned to Leonard, offering her felicitations with a sweetness
that gave Arthur tearing pangs to overhear.

"But when people speak to us of your high office," he could hear her
saying, "we will speak to them of your high fitness for it. And still,
Leonard, you must let us offer you our congratulations, for it is a high
office."

"Thank you," replied Leonard: "let me save the congratulations for the
day I lay the office down. Do you, then, really think it high and
honorable?"

"Ah," she rejoined, in a tone of reproach and defense that tortured
Arthur, "you know I honor the pursuit of the law."

Leonard showed a glimmer of drollery. "Pursuit of the law, yes," he
said; "but the pursuit of the lawbreaker"--

"Even that," replied Isabel, "has its frowning honors."

"But I'm much afraid it seems to you," he said, "a sort of blindman's
buff played with a club. It often looks so to the pursued, they say."

Isabel gave her chin a little lift, and raised her tone for those behind
her: "We shall try not to be among the pursued, Ruth and Arthur and I."

The young lawyer's smile broadened. "My mind is relieved," he said.

"Relieved!" exclaimed Isabel, with a rosy toss. "Ruth, dear, here is
your brother in distress lest Arthur or we should embarrass him in his
new office by breaking the laws! Mr. Byington, you should not confess
such anxieties, even if