im hall, and he failed. He knew merely that she
was tall and slender, and when she turned to lead the way he heard a
faint sound like the light tinkle of a suppressed laugh. Harley started,
and his face flushed with anger. He had encountered often those who
tried to snub him, and usually he had been able to take care of himself,
but to be laughed at by a housemaid was a new thing in his experience,
and he was far from liking it.

She indicated a small parlor with a wave of her hand and said:

"You can go in there and wait. You have promised not to steal the
furniture, and, as the room contains only a piano, a table, and some
chairs, all of which are too big to be hidden under your overcoat, I
think that you will keep your promise."

She sped lightly away, leaving Harley trembling so much with amazement
and anger that he forgot for at least two minutes to sit down. When he
took off his overcoat he murmured: "Before Mr. Grayson thinks of ruling
the United States he should discipline his own household."

The house was quiet; he heard no one stirring anywhere. The light from
an electric lamp in the street shone into the parlor, and by its rays he
saw Mr. and Mrs. Grayson coming up the street. Then the maid had told
the truth about the "little walk," and he was early.

He leaned back in his chair and watched the pair as they approached
their own house. Evidently they had stolen these few minutes in the dark
to be alone with each other, and Harley sympathized with them, because
it would be a long time before the wife could claim again that her
husband was her own. They entered a side-gate, passed through the lawn,
and a minute later were welcoming Harley.

"We did not expect to be gone so long," said Mrs. Grayson; "but we see
that you have found the right place."

"Oh yes," said Harley; "a maid showed me in." Then he added: "I am very
glad, indeed, to have been invited here, but if you want any more
privacy I don't think you should have asked me; my kind will soon be
down upon you like a swarm of locusts."

Mr. Grayson laughed and took a stack of telegraph envelopes six inches
thick from a table.

"You are right, Mr. Harley," he said. "They will be here to-morrow,
ready for the start. There are more than twenty applications for space
on our train, and all of them shall have it. I don't think that the boys
and I shall quarrel."

Mrs. Grayson excused herself, and presently they were summoned to
dinner. Stepping out