y more persuasion. He realized that his
first instinct had been right. The plant must grow in darkness. But he
was always being carried away by artistic enthusiasms, and had an
altruistic desire to share good things. And he dearly loved "a musical
find." He had a certain name as a discoverer of talent, and there's so
much in a name. The lives that have been changed, moulded, governed by a
hastily conferred name!

Mrs. Mansfield was inclined to believe that Heath had invited her to
tea with the intention of at last submitting his talent to her opinion.
They had sometimes talked together of music, but much oftener of books,
character, people, national movements, topics of the day. As she went to
her bedroom to dress for her expedition, she felt a certain hesitation,
almost a disinclination to go. To go was to draw a step or two nearer to
Heath, and so, perhaps, to retreat a step or two from her child. To-day
the fact that Charmian and Heath did not quite "hit it off together"
vexed her spirit, and the slight mystery of their relation troubled her.
As she went down to get into the motor she was half inclined to speak to
Heath on the subject. She was quite certain that she would not speak to
Charmian.

The month was February, and by the time Mrs. Mansfield reached Mullion
House evening was falling. A large motor was drawn up in front of the
house, and as Mrs. Mansfield's chauffeur sounded a melodious chord the
figure of a smartly dressed woman walked across the pavement and stepped
into it. After an instant of delay, caused by this woman's footman, who
spoke to her at the window, the car moved off and disappeared rapidly in
the gathering darkness.

"Was that Adelaide?" Mrs. Mansfield asked herself as she got out.

She was not certain, but she thought the passing figure had looked like
Mrs. Shiffney's.

The door of Mullion House stood open, held by a thin woman with very
large gray eyes, who smiled at Mrs. Mansfield and made a slight motion,
almost as if she mentally dropped a curtsey, but physically refrained
out of respect for London ways.

"Oh, yes, ma'am, he is in! He's expecting you."

The emphasis on the last word was marked. Mrs. Mansfield looked at this
woman, toward whom at once she felt friendly.

"There's some here and there that would bother him to death, I'm sure,
if they was let!" continued the woman, closing the little front door
gently. "But it will be a pleasure to him to see you. We all knows
that