ep the rule of silence imposed upon
him. He began to sing in a rather ostentatious voice, and to rattle
something about that made a noise. Lesbia shut the door between the two
rooms and took no further notice; but sleep was banished, for though
Terry did not intrude again, he continued at intervals to treat her to
selections of whistling, comic songs, and even verses of hymns, all of
which were extremely disturbing.

"Little wretch!" she soliloquized. "I'm afraid I'm in for a bad time
with him. He's pretty; but he's evidently most outrageously spoilt."

Lesbia's anticipations with regard to Terry were partly fulfilled, but
not altogether. He seemed an equal mixture of angel and elf. In his
celestial moods he could be really sweet, and most affectionate. She was
fond of him when he sat on her knee begging for stories, or when he
asked sudden, old-fashioned questions on astounding subjects, but she
groaned when she noticed the gleam in his eye which always betokened the
quest for mischief. He was a stubborn, unruly little boy, indulged by
adoring parents till their patience failed, then his mother would
confiscate his chocolates, and his father would operate with a bedroom
slipper.

Lesbia's duties were to superintend his toilet, take him for walks, and
give him a short daily lesson on the piano.

"You see he's just begun music with Miss Gordon," explained Mrs.
Stockton, "and it would be such a pity if he were to forget all he's
learnt."

Though Lesbia had instructed the juniors at Kingfield High School in the
elements of arithmetic, history, and other subjects, she had never in
her life before taught music. She felt decidedly nervous as she led
Terry, with newly-washed hands, to the piano.

"He'll tell you what he has to do," volunteered Mrs. Stockton, vanishing
gladly from the room.

Terry, whose fingers were still rather damp, opened the instruction book
in the middle, and twisted the music-stool round and round with quite
unnecessary zeal.

"That's enough. It won't go any higher," commanded Lesbia. "Have you got
as far as this duet? All in half a term? I suppose you play the treble
part? And Miss Gordon takes the bass?"

Terry nodded. He was staring hard at Lesbia as if evolving an idea.
Suddenly he burst out:

"When you talk you keep your nose still, and when Miss Gordon talks hers
wobbles about just like my rabbit's when it wants a lettuce."

"'Sh, 'sh! That's nothing to do with music," suppressed Lesb