e suddenly changed it--crossed one leg
over the other, as he had done in the office a few minutes before.

In the meantime, Mrs. Falkener was saying:

"The truth is, I'm afraid that we must cut our visit short, delightful
as it promises to be."

"Oh, Mrs. Falkener, we're not making you comfortable. What is it?"

"No, Burton, no." Mrs. Falkener held up her hand. "You are making us
perfectly comfortable--at least, in all essentials. And who minds
roughing it now and then for a week or so? It's good for us," she added
playfully. "The housemaid is not--but no matter."

"What has the housemaid done?" asked Crane with what semblance of
interest he could summon, but as he spoke his heart went out in sympathy
to every hotel and boarding-house keeper in the world. "Good heavens,"
he thought, "suppose my living depended on my pleasing them, what a
state I should be in!" Aloud he said: "What has Lily been doing?"

"Nothing, nothing. Lily means well, I'm sure, in spite of her
lackadaisical ways. It is quite a privilege, I assure you, to be waited
on by such an elegant young lady. She hooked me up wrong twice this
evening, and when I not unnaturally objected, she stuck a pin in me. Oh,
by accident, I'm sure. No, I have no fault to find with Lily,
whatsoever."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Crane, punctuating his sentence to allow
himself to indulge in a half-suppressed yawn. "Who is it, then? Not
Smithfield? Or the boy?"

"Oh, I should never have anything to do with that boy," said Mrs.
Falkener, bridling. "Oh, never in the world. I think he's half-witted. I
saw him stick out his tongue at Solon this evening."

Crane laughed, though he knew he ought not to.

"Did Solon see?"

"No. The boy contrived it so that Solon had just looked away."

"Well, then, perhaps he's not half-witted, after all," said Burton. "It
occurs to me that perhaps that is the only reply to a good deal that
Solon says."

"I'm devoted to Solon," replied Mrs. Falkener, drawing herself up, "and
I must say you ought to--"

"I am, I am," said Crane, hastily, "but I am at the same time able to
understand why Brindlebury possibly isn't. But come, Mrs. Falkener, if
it isn't these servants that are driving you away, what is it?"

"I don't know how to explain it," said Mrs. Falkener. "It's not really
clear to me, myself. I'm sure I don't want to be unkind, or to hurt any
one's feelings, least of all yours, my dear Burt." And she leaned over
and laid her