ention who
has the ability if not the courage."

He winced a little at that and the cloud of suspicion grew denser. But
it was partly dissipated at her earnest inquiry: "Why do not you, a man
of keen discernment and liberal education, essay the task? I am certain
that you would achieve a great success."

"I have other work to do," he said, gruffly. "And I am not sure that I
find your suggestion at all complimentary. Am I to infer that in your
estimation I am blessed with an inordinate amount of leisure time?"

She shrugged her shoulders with wrathful impatience; he was a bigger
baby than she had thought. "That was gratuitous," she said, with a fine
show of indignation; "and you are not at all nice when you are
insolent." To her disgust he chuckled audibly, leaning over his pommel
in simulated humility.

"Lesson number three. I'm getting that 'liberal education' fast," he
murmured; "by and by I'll know enough to put into a book."

For the life of her she could not resist the temptation. "If you do,
don't write it in verse."

Instantly she regretted her temerity. "There are so few people who write
verse acceptably," she explained hurriedly, "and there are too many
ambitious things that die 'abornin',' as Abbie would say, from that very
reason. Prose has much more potentiality and is more acceptable to the
masses. Of course"--the tone was that of innocence personified--"if you
can do verse, that would be another matter. The essential thing is that
you do write the book. Will you? Please."

The voice was almost tenderly imploring; his brow cleared. He was almost
ashamed of his momentary distrust of her. In polite society people do
not read private documents; evidently this young woman had come
dangerously close to his rash misjudgment and he was properly penitent.

Still he was tormented by an insistent doubt. Why had she particularized
that first page of memoranda? With a fatuous attempt at diplomacy he put
his foot into it.

"Why should you assume so flatteringly that I have any literary
ability?" He thought the question almost Machiavelian in its adroitness.

She had her cue, now. "Well, your aptness at quotation from obscure
sources presupposes a wide range of reading, a retentive memory, and a
love for literature. Then, again, you have rare constructiveness
and--and--" her simulation of modest distress would have deceived even a
wiser man--"a horribly clever knack of impromptu rhyme, as I have
regretful rea