r den that
was called the bookkeeper's, biting his pen, with even a sourer face
than usual.

"Good-morning, Jamie," said he cheerily.

"Good-morning, Mr. James." Jamie always greeted glumly, but there was
a touch of tragedy in him this morning that was more than manner.
James Bowdoin looked at him sharply.

"Can I--has anything"--He was interrupted by a series of tremendous
poundings that issued from the counting-room within. The entrance door
was closed. Young Mr. Bowdoin cocked his thumb at it. "How many
children has the governor got in there to-day?"

"One, sir," grunted Jamie.

"One child? Great heavens! who makes all that noise?"

"Mr. Bowdoin do the most of it, sir," said Jamie solemnly. "I have
been waiting, sir, to see him mysel' since"--Jamie looked gravely at
his watch--"since the half after twal'. But he does not suffer being
interrupted."

James Bowdoin threw himself on a chair and laughed. "Who is it?"

"It'll be your Miss Abby, I'm thinkin'."

"The imp! I stopped her week's money for losing her hat this morning,
and she's got ahead of me and come down to get it of the governor."

There was a sudden and mysterious silence in the inner room. James
Bowdoin looked at Jamie, and noted again his expression. "What's the
matter, Jamie? Have you anything to tell me?"

"It's for Mr. Bowdoin's private ear, Mr. James," said Jamie testily.

"Oh, ah! in that case I'll go in and see." James threw the door open.
Old Mr. Bowdoin was standing, still puffing, in front of the fire,
evidently quite breathless. In the corner by the window, too rapt to
notice her father's entrance, sat Miss Abby, intently gazing into a
round glass crystal that, with a carved ebony frame, formed one of the
Oriental ornaments of the counting-room.

"I trust we are not disturbing important business, sir?" said Mr.
James the younger dryly.

"Sh, sh! Abby, my dear, don't take your eyes out of it for twenty
minutes, and you'll see the soldiers." And the old gentleman winked at
James and Jamie, and became still purpler with laughter that was
struggling to be heard.

"As for that child of mine"--

"Psst! h'sh!" and Mr. Bowdoin snapped his fingers in desperation at
his uncomprehending son. "Never mind them, dear!" he cried to the
child. "Only look steady; don't take your eyes out of it for twenty
minutes, and you're sure to see the armies fighting! The most
marvelous idea, and all my own," he said, as he slammed the door
behind him.